Fear no Fate
by norrific
Summary: Raised by Lionel, Davis moves to Smallville at the start of his senior year and meets Chloe. Their attraction is heightened after a fateful conversation with a witch.
1. Chapter 1

**I disclaim. **

**AN: This story kind of came from the spoilers from Hex and Eternal. But other than the basic concepts, there really are no spoilers. I based the story earlier in the series because I wanted to write Chloe and Davis before Brainiac and Jimmy. **

**AN2: Reviews are always more than welcomed and embarrassingly begged for.**

**Chapter 1**

When she finally walked into the elegant ballroom, Davis Bloome all but heard his heart slam to a stop against his ribcage. He'd been expecting and not expecting her all night. So, therefore wasn't at all prepared for the impact she made. Chloe Sullivan was a hot little number if ever there was one. Everything she was-brass, intelligent, sexy, confident-poured off her in dizzying waves. He couldn't remember ever wanting anything so badly.

Davis watched her all night. It killed him to keep his distance, but he had this all worked out. He'd wait until the end of the night, he wanted to be that last face she saw before she went home, then he ask her to dance. He knew, deep down, that they'd connect. So he wasn't in the least bit worried about her not feeling for him what he felt for her. They'd dance, he wouldn't ask for her number, she wouldn't offer to give it to him. But she'd think about him, and she'd wonder about the next time they would meet. He was prepared to wait for her.

He knew the exact moment she realized he was watching. The stiffening of her spine was slight, but he noticed everything she did. When she turned, those amazing sea-goddess eyes locking with his, Davis continued to stare. Long moments passed and neither of them looked away. Finally, he allowed the smile to form slowly on his mouth as he lifted the glass of champagne in a sort of salute. Her response was to turn her back on him.

*********

Despite how badly the night started off, Chloe was feeling pretty damn good. Sure, she was denied admission into Metropolis University's journalism program, this last year of high school seemed to be never ending, all the work she put in at The Planet last summer was for nothing since she was asked not to come back, and her friends were even more annoying than usual. But none of that was bothering Chloe; she was feeling just fine. Apparently a couple of glasses of Moet did that to a girl.

"Earth to Chloe," Lois Lane waved an impatient hand in front of her cousin's face. "Come in, Chloe."

Chloe blinked, resisted the urge to slap her cousin's hand away. "Huh?"

"We need your score on Lana's pick."

"Oh," Chloe studied the guy Lana picked. "Um, jeez Lana. Five…five and a half, maybe. God, barely."

"That makes him a….six and a half. Barely." Lois bit back a laugh. "Sorry, Lana."

"It's almost like you guys do this on purpose." Lana mumbled dejectedly.

Yes, that's right, Chloe thought. It was just further proof that the world revolved around Lana Lang. Because even in a silly game they came up with one day at The Talon, someone was out to get Lana.

"His tux jacket is rolled up to his elbows." Lois pointed out.

"He's not a ten." Chloe added before glancing over her shoulder. "That's a ten."

Lois turned to the guy Chloe gestured towards. "Oh, definitely a ten. And he's been staring at you all night, cuz. You should go talk to him."

"Okay, what about him." Lana tossed out excitedly. "Nine and a half."

Dutifully, the two cousin's turned to the guy their friend pointed out.

"Seven and a half."

"Seven. Which makes him an eight?" Chloe turned to her cousin. "You?"

"I think I'll pass. Over there talking to Lex and the tall red-head. Nine, easy."

"Very easy." Chloe agreed. "Oh, wait, he just smiled. I say ten."

"That's my cue."

"I'm really starting to think you guys are doing this to me on purpose." Lana pouted.

Still sober enough to realize she would likely say something to hurt Lana's feelings, Chloe finished off her glass of champagne. "I need another drink." Her exit may have been hasty, but it was for the good of their friendship.

"You probably shouldn't drink anymore."

"Probably." Chloe gestured to the bar. "Yet, here I am."

"Things are not as bleak as you think them to be."

Seriously, Chloe frowned, who the hell talked like that. "Listen," Her voice was as polite as she could make it when she turned to the red head next to her. "I'm just trying to get wasted. So if you could leave me to that....it would be awesome."

"That young man over there, can't take his eyes off you. Why won't you go talk to him?"

"Because I've seen this movie, okay. I know how it ends; me fucked up and fucked over. So, I'd rather not."

"It could be different this time."

"Yeah, well, that's not a chance I'm willing to take."

Placing her hand on Chloe's shoulder, the red head made sure the younger woman was looking her in the eye. "What do you want, Chloe?"

"To have feelings for someone who actually returned them, would be nice. To be number one for a change." Chloe paused, wanting to look away but finding herself unable to. "I just want to be okay. To be happy would be nice, but at this point I'd just like to be okay."

"Okay," The woman released her hold on Chloe, said nothing as the girl walked away with a pilfered bottle of champagne. "But I think I can do better than okay."


	2. Chapter 2

**I disclaim.**

**Chapter 2**

"I know you."

"I thought the line was 'don't I know you?'" Chloe brought the glass of champagne to her lips. She'd snatched the bottle of champagne with the hopes of getting _really _drunk. Actually, she figured if luck was truly on her side she'd pass out and wake up at graduation. Sometimes oblivion could be a girls best friend.

"It's not a question."

She didn't bother to turn and look at the guy who rudely interrupted her descent into unconsciousness. "Whatever. You know me, big whoop, it's a small town."

"You see that's just the booze talking. You don't mean to hurt my feelings."

"Actually," Chloe turned to really let him have it, but pulled up short when her eyes connected with his. This was the her ten, maybe not her ten...well, maybe, he _had_ been watching her all night.

Davis would have chuckled at her reaction if he didn't find being so close to her having the same effect on him. She was quite possibly the most vibrant thing he'd ever seen in his life. "Davis Bloome."

Chloe wasn't entirely aware of accepting the hand he offered, but couldn't deny the shock that coursed up her arm at his touch. "Chloe Sullivan."

"I know." At her suspicious look he continued on hurriedly. "I'd know the face of the woman who sent my dad to prison anywhere."

"Your..." She knew he was talking about Lionel, she hadn't sent anyone else to prison. At least not lately. Not that she could think of anyway. But try as she might she couldn't connect the sad eyed man in front of her to any Luthor she'd ever met. "Last I checked on Lionel's other sons one was doing God knows what God knows where and the other was dead. Besides, you just told me your last name was Bloome."

"It is, my parents died when I was a kid and Lionel took me in."

Because that sounded nothing like the Lionel Luthor that tried to have her murdered, Chloe set aside her glass of champagne. "Lionel has three sons, he half-ass raised one, denied the other, and hoarded the memory of the last over the first. Yet he raised you." Which meant the odds of this guy going completely batshit in the next thirty seconds were relatively high. She really didn't understand why all the cute ones had to be crazy.

"I said he took me in, not that he raised me."

Now that, Chloe thought as she picked up her glass, she could totally buy. "Well, your dad tried to have me killed." Amongst other things she tried not to think of. "So I can't say I'm sorry he's gone."

Knowing more about her relationship with Lionel than she actually realized, Davis wasn't sorry the bastard was gone either. "So why aren't you enjoying the party more?"

If he'd just leave and let her finish getting plastered she would. "As happy as I am with Lex finally being cut from his daddy's apron strings, I'm not exactly in a celebratory mood. But I'm trying to get there."

She looked so lost, so wounded. All Davis wanted to do was gather her in his arms and take care of her. "Why don't I take you back to your friends?"

"Because they're obnoxious."

"You're just saying that because your drunk."

Oh, Chloe thought fondly, if only that were true. "We should get this out of the way now since odds are you'll end up threatening to kick his ass and stalking her." She turned so that she was facing the ballroom again. "You see the tall painfully attractive guy that just reeks of aw shucks?"

She had angled her body so that when she swayed unsteadily, she ended up leaning against him for support. All Davis saw was her. "Huh?"

"Standing next to the serenely beautiful brunette." When he didn't answer, Chloe rammed her elbow into his stomach, it was like stone. "Are you paying attention to me?"

From the moment she walked in. But obligingly he took his eyes off her to look to where she was pointing. "Yeah, tall guy and short dark haired girl, what about them?"

She'd never heard a guy refer to Lana so dismissively, but wouldn't allow her hopes to rise. He still hadn't met her, so he could still be sucked in by whatever is was about Lana that sucked guys in. And at the moment she hated Lana, hated that she'd likely know how solid he felt, how wonderful he smelled. "They are the will they won't/they couple of the century, Smallville's own Dawson and Joey. And I'll have you know that for all of a minute they actually did, but something happened and they broke up before they could bore the hell out of each other. Now you see the bombshell over by Lex."

Again, Davis had to take his eyes away from her to look in the direction she was pointing. But this time the woman she pointed at caught his attention. The way she stood, hip cocked out just a bit, head angled just so. "Relative of yours?"

"My cousin Lois." She poured herself another glass of champagne, absently offered him the glass. "How'd you know?"

Davis accepted the glass she offered, downed it to keep her from taking another drink. "There's a resemblance. Now what about her?"

"She's in the middle of this Sam and Diane thing with Clark." Not at all put out by the empty glass she received, Chloe gamely poured another glass, and once again offered it to him first. "He actually thinks his feelings for her are purely antagonistic. Then again this is the same guys who's been actively stalking the same girl since I've known him and has himself convinced it's love. He's a strange duck our Clark." She frowned as she stared at the empty flute in her hand, couldn't figure out how it got that way. But realizing she still had a bottle with her, she didn't worry too much over it, and poured herself another glass. "I'm in love with him and he thinks I'm swell. Ass. Obnoxious ass."

Unable to help himself, Davis wrapped his arms around her. He didn't understand how anyone could be near her and not love her. She filled a room. How could he see anyone else when they stood next to her?

Chloe didn't know if they were swaying or if it was just the world in general, but there was something about being in his arms that was so soothing. "It really sucks that you're going to end up stalking Lana and end up getting sent away."

Davis laughed. "I'm not going to stalk your friend."

"Of course you are. That's how Lana dates. She meets a guy, he ends up stalking her, and then another guy comes along saves her and she starts dating him. There's a chance he turns out to be crazy, too. But it doesn't matter because in the end Clark somehow always ends up involved. But you know, we all have our own way of meeting people."

"How about you?"

"Usually I meet a guy and he either tries to screw me, screw me over, or kill me."

Davis braced for her reaction to his statement, but felt he needed to get it out of the way. "Does that include Lionel?"

Drunkenly, she lifted her head off his chest to study him. "I guess you do know me. And technically...actually there is no technically. He tried to screw me, screw me over, and kill me." She gave a bitter laugh. "In that order."

"Aren't you curious-"

"I wasn't dumb enough to actually believe I had the original copies of those tapes or that Lionel would destroy them. I'm actually surprised he didn't whip 'em out during the trial." Chloe frowned over the thought. "How did you get them?"

"Found them in the old man's desk at the castle."

"Did you watch them? All of them?"

Davis nodded. "The one with Lionel was the first one I destroyed."

"It was only the one time." Chloe replied quickly. Ashamed that anyone saw what happened between her and Lionel. "Part of our agreement was that he never touched me. At first he seemed satisfied with just watching me touch myself. But then..." She shuddered at the memory. "I wasn't sure what he would have done if I didn't let him. He was almost-"

"Desperate?" Davis finished. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Chloe."

There was something about the way he said her name that sent a shiver up her spine. "That's when I knew it had to stop. I couldn't know what he'd have asked of me next."

"Sending a man to prison is one hell of a way to break it off." It was ridiculous to be angry now. What Lionel had done to her was in the past. And she'd gotten through it. She'd beaten the almighty Lionel at his own game. It still didn't stop Davis from wanting to shield her even now.

"It was either prison or the loony bin. That's where all the others are. Well, aside from the occasional death. The sad part is, none of it has ever been worth it." She started to bring the glass to her lips again.

Davis smoothly lifted the glass from her hand and emptied it. He really hoped the damn bottle was empty now "The earth didn't move with Lionel."

"Considering I was thinking about getting my car detailed, the bedspread didn't move." She frowned at the empty glass that was returned to her. Lifting the bottle, she found that was empty now as well. She really thought she'd be unconscious at this point. "I've had worse."

"Have you had better?"

Chloe's gaze met his. The look in those dark eyes was pure sin. The smile she sent him held a teasing hint of invitation. "Not yet." With that she backed out of his arms and headed back into the ballroom.

"I wouldn't go there if I were you."

Unwilling to take his eyes off Chloe, Davis replied without turning to look at his brother. "You really should have pitched this speech to dad, Lex"

"She's had a pretty rough go of it here recently, Davis."

Finally, he turned. "There's no need to protect Chloe from me."

Lex wasn't entirely sure about that. "I want you to meet someone." With a slight nod, he signaled the woman beside him. "This is Nina Mowry. She and her brother just moved to Smallville. She's actually our new lead researcher. Nina this is my brother Davis. Pretend to be charming little brother."

With no more than a glance at the woman, Davis went back to watching Chloe.

"So how did things go? Was I right?"

"She's amazing."

"Did you ask her out?"

Davis shook his head. "She's in love with that jackass over there."

Nina rolled her eyes. These were two of the most difficult people on the face of the earth. Here she was just trying to put things the way they should have been and these two were cutting her off at every turn. "You want her." She pointed out needlessly.

"More than anything." But she loved someone else. There wasn't much more he could do with that.

"What if she came to you?"

"If she came to me?" Somehow, that option never even occurred to him. "I'd be hers." Completely and totally hers.

"Do you want to be hers?"

Davis felt something in his chest twist painfully. "Yes."

Well, that's all she needed. Nina didn't even hesitate. Really, she was saving lives. And helping true love find it's way. Softly, she began to chant.

********

"Okay, when you see me waving my arms about like a Baywatch victim," Lois hissed dangerously at her cousin. "That means come help. God, I can't believe I spent a half hour hitting on the new English teacher."

Chloe laughed, which only earned her a glare from Lois. "Sorry, that's not funny." Only it really was.

"Yeah, well. Give me ten minutes...I need to drink this memory away. Smallville can drive us home."

"But..." Chloe was beyond ready to go and thought fleetingly of maybe just walking home. Sure it would be one hell of a walk in heels, at night, and on mostly unpaved roads. But...well, there really was no buts. That was just a really dumb idea. Good thing she wasn't drunk because....wait, why wasn't she drunk?

Not two seconds ago she could barely stand, now she was as sober as a judge. And there was a pained hallow feeling in her belly. Like she was missing something vital to her survival. Something, she somehow knew, was close by. If only she knew what?

Agitated, her eyes began to search the room. How could she have this indescribable need for something she couldn't identify. Then suddenly her gaze flew to Davis. Her heart seemed to slow to a near stop before picking up to beat at double time. His eyes were so intense they seemed to cut right through her. By a will not completely her own, Chloe made her way across the room to him.

"Something I can do for you, beautiful."

Chloe moved in until her body was flush against his. _Dance with me._ Her hand slid down his arm until her fingers linked with his. "Now."

Although he was more than pleased with their current position, Davis felt the need to ask. "Don't you want to move to the dance floor?"

At the moment Chloe wanted nothing more than to stay close to him. _No._

"What made you come over here?"

"I don't know." Chloe answered with a frown. "It felt like I needed to." _Crazy, huh?_

"No, it's exactly the way you make me feel." And because he had to, Davis allowed his hand to run down the length of her bare back. He'd known, somehow he'd always known, just how her skin would feel. It didn't seem possible that anything so soft could exist.

No one had ever touched her this way, held her this way. As if she were something precious. No one had ever mad her feel so out of control on the inside while touching her so gently on the outside.

"Lex thinks I should stay away from you." Davis' voice was little more than a whisper against her ear. "He doesn't think I'm good enough for you."

Though, it didn't seem possible, Chloe managed to move closer. "I didn't take you for the type to let others tell you what to do."

"I'm not. Lex can't keep me away from you." _No one, Davis vowed_ silently, _Can keep me away from you._

"Good." Because Chloe was afraid she'd hurt Lex otherwise.

"Chloe?" Lana tried to ignore the violent look Davis shot her. She couldn't quite figure out when the two of them had gotten so close. Chloe had all but slipped into his clothes. "Lois wanted to know if you were ready. It's been more than half an hour."

"What?" No way more than five minutes had passed.

"Lois said...we all agreed that midnight-"

"Okay," Chloe snapped impatiently. The mood was completely ruined now. "Can I get a minute?"

"Um, yeah," Confused and hurt by the sharp tone, Lana turned and walked away.

Chloe glared after her friend before turning back to Davis. Grabbing hold of his lapels she pulled his mouth down to hers. There was a teasing smile on her lips and a mischievous light in her eyes that flashed a violent blue. She placed soft kisses on both corners of his mouth. _We'll do this again._

"Soon." Davis promised when she walked away.


	3. Chapter 3

**I disclaim. None of these characters are mine.**

**AN: I'm figuring Davis came down in the first meteor shower with Clark, therefore making him the same age as Clark, Chloe, and Lana.**

**Chapter 3**

After the night of drinking she had, Chloe expected to wake up with the mother of all hang-overs. So, it was a pleasant surprise when she woke with nothing more than foggy images of the night before. Actually, she felt _really_ good. Not at all like a girl who spent several hours recklessly, albeit gleefully, downing copious amounts of alcohol.

Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially with her track record, Chloe decided not to question her good fortune. Chalking it up to good genetics, she lazily made her way to the kitchen. For her body's resilience against the evil of too much champagne, she decided to reward it with coffee.

"Morning, sweetheart."

"Hey," Chloe frowned at her father. "Since when do you work on Sunday?"

"Since Sunday became Monday."

"Today's Monday?" How the hell had she managed to sleep an entire day away? "It can't be."

"It is." Gabe nodded at the slack-jawed astonishment on his daughter's face. "Lois said you weren't feeling too well, that she was feeling a bit sick herself." At first he'd been worried that she was drunk, but didn't even notice a hint of alcohol on her when he carried her up to her room. "Actually, she just left not too long ago. She stayed with you all day yesterday, wouldn't even let me in the room." He forgot how possessive Lois was of her little cousin. And worried briefly over the problems that would cause one day when the girls got married. "The two of you must have gotten into some bad cheese."

"Must have." Chloe muttered absently

"You still seem a bit out of it." Gabe pressed a hand to her brow to check for a fever. She felt a bit warm and he didn't like the paler of her skin. "Maybe you should take the day off. Get some more rest."

"Good idea." But rest was the furthest thing from her mind.

"I'll see you when I get home."

"Okay. Bye, Dad." Chloe's mind was running at a hundred miles per hour. She realized she couldn't remember much from Lex's party. Actually, the only thing she could clearly remember was Davis.

Everything about him, from the moment their eyes met to the feel of his heart beating against her ear, came back crystal clear. She remembered every word they said to each other out on the terrace. She could even recall the way his hair felt against her fingertips when they danced.

"Chloe? Hey," Lois smiled brightly as she strolled into the kitchen. "How are you feeling? You look a little..."

"Dazed." Chloe finished. "I guess it's because I am. But that can just be from losing a whole day."

"Well, I'm just glad you're up. You were dead to the world." Because she knew her cousin, Lois didn't mention how scared she was.

"Thanks for covering for me, you know, with my dad." Making her way across the kitchen, she started a fresh pot of coffee.

"It was partly true. I was a little sick after hitting on the new teacher." Lois noticed her cousin still seemed distracted. "I wasn't going to come bug you, but Lana was getting annoying."

Like that was new. "Why?"

"She was worried you were still upset with her."

"Why would I be upset with Lana?"

"Don't know." Lois shrugged. "Asked myself the same thing when you bit her head off the other night."

"What?" Chloe pulled a mug out of the cabinet, offered one to Lois who shook her head. "I didn't bite Lana's head off." At least not that she could remember.

"Oh, yeah you did. At first I passed it off as you being drunk and pissy. But you were freakishly sober. Which is weird because it seemed like every time I saw you, you had a glass in your hand."

"I'm going with genetics." And nothing anyone said could make her think different. "Wait, why did she send you? She could have asked me herself."

"You've known her longer than I have." Lois said by way of explanation.

"Well, Clark's known her longer than _I_ have and he still can't figure her out." Feeling generous, Chloe decided to over look the fact that Clark was not always the sharpest tack on the board anyway. This was the guy who thought his feelings for Lois was purely antagonistic. Idiot. "The hell, Lo, I can't believe you actually did it."

"Yeah, well, she was nagging. Besides, I was on my over to check on you anyway. I was worried you'd slipped into a coma."

Despite the joking tone, Chloe saw the concern in her cousin's eyes. "No coma. Hey, shouldn't you be heading to school."

"I was waiting on you little cousin."

"I'm not going." She shot her cousin a smug smile over her shoulder. "My dad thought I should take the day off."

"It's like the second week of school."

"Out of my hands, Lo. Daddy's orders."

"Whatever." She pushed away from the counter. "Hey, I'll call you at lunch."

Chloe laughed. "You'll call half-way through first period."

"Probably." Lois agreed on her way out of the kitchen.

Chloe was still laughing as she poured her cup of coffee, giving an impatient sigh when the phone rang. "Hello."

"Chloe? It's Lex."

"Hi, Lex." She could hear the confusion in her own voice. "What's going on?"

"I heard you weren't feeling well."

"You know what, if you called about me being pissed at Lana..."

"Actually, I was calling about you and Davis. You seemed awfully close the other night."

"How's that your business?"

Unfazed by her cool tone, Lex tried to reason with her. "I know he can be charming and entertaining, but he's not stable, Chloe. And he's taken an unhealthy interest in you. It'd be wise to keep your distance."

"It's none of you business, Lex." Chloe snapped out, her anger rising quickly and unexpectedly. "So, I'd advise you stay out of our relationship." It wasn't until she slammed the phone down that she realized how angry she was. "The hell."

Making up her mind instantly, Chloe ran up the stairs to shower and change. She needed to see Davis.

***

Davis knew Chloe was in the mansion. If he was honest, he'd admit he'd known the second she decided to come see him. But that was too much for him to wrap his mind around. However, the second she stepped into the manor, the atmosphere changed. It was like whatever energy she carried with her seemed to vibrate off the walls.

Davis thought about going to meet her, but decided against it. Instead he moved from the machine he was on to continue his work-out on the free weights. The loud music was as good as a trail of breadcrumbs, anyway. Besides, she already had too much control over him.

The demand that had been on the tip of her tongue when she marched into the room, died the moment Chloe laid eyes on him. He was in the gym Lex had built, standing in front of the mirrored wall. She didn't know whether to keep her eyes on his back to watch the muscles bunch and flex with each of his movements or stare at his reflection in the mirror. There was something about the subtle tone of his abs that made her weak in the knees.

Something deep inside her began to clench and twist painfully. She wanted to wrestle him to the floor so she could kiss and lick and bite every hard inch of his chest. When she started across the room to do just that, Chloe pulled herself up short.

"Shouldn't you be in school young lady?"

There was a mocking tone to his voice, that hint of teasing amusement that only a Luthor could pull off. "Shouldn't you?"

Instead of answering her, Davis shifted the weights to start a new series of exercises.

The fact that she considered standing in this very spot and watching him for however long he worked out simply pissed her off. "What the hell did you do to me?"

In complete contradiction to what was inside him, Davis calmly set his weights back in place before turning to face her. "What's that?" He allowed a lazy smirk to curl his lips.

"Don't do that?" Chloe demanded, taking a step back. The smirk did nothing but draw her attention to his mouth. And that took her back to Lex's party and the teasing kiss that left her needy and aching. "You did something to me and don't try to deny it. I've had guys throw more weird shit my way than you could shake a stick at. There is something wall of weird worthy going on here and you have five seconds to tell me what it is."

Davis was completely fascinated by her face. She was so beautifully expressive. "Wall of what?"

Chloe thought maybe he should stop talking all together. She wanted his mouth so badly. "Oh, God, this can't be happening to me. Something...I can _feel_ you. It's like you're inside me, taking me over. I spent all day, yesterday, in bed dreaming about you. I can't..." _Tell me what you did! Tell me, now, damn it!_

"I swear to you, Chloe, I didn't do anything." Davis frowned, not recognizing the pleading voice as his own. "I've wanted you since the first moment I set eyes on you. Touching you the way I did at the party was not part of my plan. Not for some time anyway. But then you came to me, you wanted me to touch you...I didn't do anything."

And somehow she knew he was telling the truth. But that did nothing to soothe her mind. "Something is wrong. Tell me you get that there is something seriously off about this."

He had her with him; at this point Davis could give a shit about anything else. Lazily, he made his way across the room to her. "It might be a little strange."

"_Might_?" Chloe's voice wasn't steady when he moved to stand directly in front of her. She couldn't stop her hand from pressing to his bare chest. "The music is bouncing off the walls and we're not shouting or straining to hear each other. I can feel your heart as if it's beating in my own chest. I know what you're thinking. That's strange. There's no 'might' to it."

Framing her hips with his hands, Davis brought her body flush against his. The feel of her hand moving across his skin was making him crazy. "What am I thinking right now?"

The low, sexy tone to his voice sent a shiver up her spine. "You want to watch my face the first time I take you inside me." Chloe whispered helplessly. "You know that the one before won't matter." _And there'll never be anyone else. You'll be my last._

"Okay, maybe that is strange." And still he didn't care. "But tell me how that's wrong."

"Someone...they did something to us." Saying it, even knowing it, couldn't stop her from touching him. Couldn't make her pull away when his lips brushed over her ear. He was slowly driving her insane. "We...our feelings...they're being manipulated."

"So, you're saying the way I felt when I first saw you wasn't real." His mouth moved down to hers. "It sure as hell felt real."

"Yes...no... after...on the balcony."

"You wanted me before then." His reminder was a whisper against her lips. "Don't deny it."

When his teeth grazed her bottom lip, she couldn't stop the moan that hummed low in her throat. "But now-"

"Shh. Now, I just want to kiss you." _Please let me kiss you. Please._

It was the 'please' that snapped her control. Her hands were anything but gentle when they gripped at his shoulders. The eyes that locked onto his were an electric blue. "This isn't real."

"Yes it is." Hungrily, Davis' mouth closed over hers. Impatient, near desperate, he forced her back against the wall. And when the tip of her tongue flickered over his, he wanted to pull her inside him.

_Want. Need. Take._ Davis wasn't sure if those were his thoughts or hers. Though, he didn't care either way. Her taste was just as it had been in his dreams. The moans escaping her throat just as sexy. Effortlessly, he lifted her until her legs wrapped around his waist and he could press more intimately against her.

Instantly the need to feel his skin against hers was unbearable. Before Chloe could even speak the words, Davis ripped her shirt right down the middle. Aroused beyond reason, she let him go just long enough to strip off the useless remains of her top.

Expertly, Davis used one hand to unhook her bra. His fingers were gentle when they pushed the straps off her shoulders.

"You couldn't show my shirt the same consideration." Chloe managed to pant out as her lips pressed against his pulse.

"You didn't want me to."

When he looked at her and smiled-not smirked, but a genuine dimpled smile-Chloe's breath caught. She'd known he could be sexy and dangerous. But it never occurred to her that he could look the way he did at this moment. "You're beautiful." Her voice was wistful as she traced the lines of his mouth with the tips of her fingers. She near melted when his eyes flashed an incredible shade of blue.

"You're everything." Davis managed before crushing his mouth to hers.

***

The music was up to a deafening level when Lex walked into his home several hours later. The mild annoyance he felt at seeing Chloe's car went up another notch. The last two people, he truly believed, who needed to be together was Chloe and Davis. He loved his brother, truly he did. But he wasn't blind to the fact that there was something different about him. It was one of the reasons Lex asked him to move to Smallville now that their father was in jail. He wanted to get his brother the help he needed.

When he walked into the gym and saw them he wasn't sure what to think. They were on the floor, Chloe was sprawled across Davis' chest, and they were both naked from the waist up. Since clearing his throat would be pointless, what with the music up so loud, Lex walked over to kneel down next to them. Taking off his jacket, he covered Chloe before giving her a slight nudge.

It was Davis who shot awake to grab Lex's wrist. For a minute, he thought his brother's eyes were a different color. Almost immediately, Chloe was up as well. Though the color didn't change, the anger in her eyes matched Davis'.

"If you let me go," Lex had to shout. "I can turn around so Chloe can get dressed." When Davis released him, he did as promised. It wasn't until his jacket was flung at his back that he turned to face them. Chloe had both her arms wrapped around Davis' waist.

"Maybe if you turn the music down," Once again, Lex found himself shouting to be heard. "We can discuss this."

Davis ignored his brother to brush Chloe's hair behind her ear. "I should get you another shirt."

Chloe looked down at the T-shirt he gave her, it was the one he'd been wearing at the start of his work-out. _I like this one. It smells like you._ "You might as well turn it off so we can get this over with."

Lex frowned. How in the hell could they hear each other? And why, when Davis moved to turn off the stereo, did Chloe look at him as if she could rip his throat out. "I'm not even sure where to begin."

"I do." Chloe snapped. "This is none of your business. If you want to complain about finding us together on your floor, go ahead. But my relationship with Davis is none of your concern."

"Relationship? One dance and a couple hours rolling around on the floor does not a relationship make."

"Says you." Davis tossed back easily.

"Yeah? I'm sure Gabe Sullivan would agree with me as well." Lex countered calmly.

"Don't threaten me, Lex." Chloe's eyes flashed dangerously. "I promise I'll make you sorry for it."

With a smirk to rival Lionel's, Davis pulled Chloe close. "I'd listen to her if I were you, bro. She can be downright mean when crossed." And with that he pulled her out of the room with him.

Confused and more disturbed than he was willing to admit, Lex walked to his office, and settled behind his desk. Picking up his phone, he took a moment to decide the best person to call. Actually, the best person to call was Lois. But he doubted she'd take advice from him. Unsure, but decided none-the-less, he called Lana. It was possible that, when the situation presented itself, she would prove to be a good friend to Chloe.

***

"Chloe? Is that you?" Gabe stepped out of the kitchen to see his daughter all but crawling up the hall to her bedroom. "Where've you been?"

"School." She lied without hesitation. "You know me. Can't stay away from my paper for too long."

"Are you hungry? I ordered a pizza."

"Sounds great. Just let me go change first."

Ten minutes later, when Gabe went to check on her, she lay face down across her bed. It was just like Chloe to work herself to the point of exhaustion. With a shake of his head, he removed her shoes, her jacket, and pulled the comforter up to her shoulders before clicking her lamp off and backing out of the room

*******

_"Military School?" They were sitting on a blanket in a perfectly moonlit field. Chloe couldn't help but to admire the way he looked. He was so darkly handsome, the way the moon played over his features only seemed to accentuate it. "You're not one of those crazy guys who had to be sent away are you?" Which would be just her luck._

_Davis laughed, trying to ignore the danger he felt lurking around them. Sure that if he turned to look behind them, he'd see the thing that had been hunting his dreams since he was a child. "No. Lionel was obsessed with me being a perfect physical specimen. The day after I learned to tie my shoes away I went. I spent my summers at every sports camp you can imagine: baseball, basketball, football, boxing."_

_Her hand went to his shoulder so that she could run her fingers over the muscles in his arm. "As much as I'm currently appreciating Lionel's effort, what was the reason behind his obsession."_

_Davis moved his shoulders restlessly. "Don't know. You know there was this one time, I was about seven, Lionel took Lex and I to Paris for Christmas. My brother and I had this game 'General Washington versus Alexander the Great'."_

_"Because cowboys and Indians was just far too common for you rich boys. I bet you two used whatever hotel you were in as your own playground."_

_"Yeah, we kind of did. Which is were the problem started. Lex lunged at me with this fake sword, I jumped out of the way, and went down two flights of stairs."_

_"Oh my God."_

_"A normal reaction. I remember screaming my head off, when my Dad found me I was still screaming, and that just pissed him off. He took me back to the penthouse and just laid into me, telling me to be a man, that I needed to learn how to take a little pain if I wanted to be unstoppable. He picked up this bat...For a minute I honestly thought he was going to crack that thing over my head."_

_Reaching out she placed a hand on the back of his neck, rubbing soothingly until he turned to look at her. "I'm sorry."_

_"Nothing to be sorry for. Just life with Lionel Luthor. Nothing compared to what Lex got, anyway." Trying to shake off the mood, he laid back until his head was resting in her lap. _

_"Who's dream is this?" __Running her fingers absently along his jaw, Chloe took in their surroundings. Nothing-not the simmering clear lake or the secluded field surrounding it-was familiar to her. "I don't know where we are, but I figured that if this was your dream we'd be naked in your bed like last time." _

_"It's mine."_

_"How do you know?" _

_Davis voice was low, he shifted until his arms could lock around her waist. "Can't you feel it. It's behind you. Normally..." Normally it would have rushed him and ripped him to pieces. "It hasn't come out, not really, since Lex's party._

_Chloe turned her head, saw something large rush back into the woods. She could feel Davis trembling. "It's okay. It's gone now." She paused long enough to lean over and kiss him. "Tell me again that this isn't strange."_

_"Can't lie to you, beautiful. It's those eye, those big beautiful eyes." Reaching out, Davis brought the palm of her hand to his lips. "I've been dreaming of you since the first moment I saw you. Never occured to me you'd actually be here one day."_

_"We have to find out what's going on." Even as she said it, Chloe was brushing her lips over his. "Before we slip into a coma or something."_

***

Jon Mowry said nothing as his sister made a show of sulking around the room. Really her dramatics were getting a bit old. Not to mention, that at her age, it was just sad.

"I'm not _that_ old." Nina snapped at her brother. "Moreover, no matter how old I get I'll always be younger than you, dear brother."

"How many centuries must pass before you stop tossing those three minutes back in my face?" Jon asked dryly.

"Dozens." Nina shot back. It was infuriating that he could be so at ease when the restlessness was making her skin crawl. First he moved her to this nowhere town, then made her promise not use magic for the duration of their stay. "I miss home."

"As do I." Jon agreed. "And had you not turned Alice Watson into a cretin we'd still be there."

"She was lying about being with child, lying about even having lain with Rhys Kingsley. And on the eve of his wedding to sweet Victoria Welch. It was despicable, really." And if someone hadn't mislabeled the dove feathers, Alice Watson would have ingested a truth serum as Nina had intended. "Normally I wouldn't have interfered, but true love-"

"Please, Nina, spare me the speech on true love. It's been grating for going on a century now."

"That's because you've never experienced it." And she could hardly wait until love slapped him across his smug face. "Is there a Chloe Sullivan in any of your classes?"

"Yes there is." The eyes that looked up at her were full of suspicion. "Why? Oh, Nina tell me you didn't. She's a child and my student. That's illegal in this country."

"What? Oh, brother I wouldn't even consider it."

"Than why did you ask after her."

"I met her at the party the other night. She's an intriguing young woman." Nina worked hard to shield her thoughts, making sure to concentrate completely on rearranging the shapes on the painting above the mantle. Instead the flames in the fireplace began to take shape and dance.

"Is that Rapunzel, sister?"

Well, that was not at all what she had intended to do. "You know what would be fun, brother."

"Considering our idea of fun differ so vastly, I highly doubt it."

Three hundred years old and already the fun had been sucked out of him. It was sad really. "Won't you at least let me modify the memory of that girl who tried to pick you up at the party the other night?"

"No."

"What about a vision spell so she can realize her feelings for the young man she was with?"

"No."

"What about-"

"No." Jon cut her off.

"Well why not?" Nina huffed as she dropped onto the couch.

"Because, my darling sister, you're ability to cast an adequate spell has not improved in three centuries. If I allowed you to cast a spell on that poor child she'd likely end up a blind amnesiac."

"I've never-"

"Paris. 1903."

"You interrupted me. Really that was your fault."

"If I hadn't interrupted you, he'd be dead. Nina, you're a brilliant empath. You see things even the most experienced witch could never dream of. But as far as spells go...you're shite." Holding up a hand, he blocked the fireball she flung his way. "That was suppose to be a tennis ball wasn't it."

"Oh, shut up, Jon."


	4. Chapter 4

**I disclaim. I own nothing.**

**Chapter 4**

"Please tell me it's Tuesday." Chloe's voice was cautious as she stepped into the kitchen.

"Indeed it is." Gabe confirmed as he finished his coffee. He'd been stalling until she came out of her room. Any longer, he'd have gone in and dragged her to the hospital. "Try to fuel your system with more than just caffeine, please."

Taking the bagel out of his hand, Chloe took a healthy bite from it. "Okay."

"I had actually planned on eating that." When she took another bite, Gabe sighed. "Good to see you're feeling better. Other wise I wouldn't be able to do my job." At her confused look, he smiled. "I'll be going out of town for a few days. Topeka, actually. Nina Mowry," He continued by way of explanation. "She really hit the ground running let me tell you."

Chloe wanted to object, with the weirdness going on in her life lately and the close call they had over the summer, she really wanted her father close by. But the fact of the matter was, Lex had given him his job back and turning down assignments would just be foolish at this point. "I wouldn't have figured you two would be working together."

"Neither would I, but it sorta worked out that way. I called your cousin to let her know I'd be gone for a few days, thought about asking her to come stay with you but then I remembered who I was talking to." Gabe loved that Chloe and Lois were so close, but he knew better than to leave them alone together for any length of time. "I shudder to think what the two of you can get up to."

"Come on, Dad, you act like you're going to come back to find us tattooed and pregnant."

"The fact that she said exactly the same thing is the very reason I'm worried." A quick glance at his watch had Gabe setting his coffee mug aside. "I'm going to be late. Money's in the desk drawer, I'll be back in a few days." He pressed a gentle kiss to her brow. "I love you. Be good."

Chloe smiled as her father hurried out. It may be silly, but it always made her smile when he left her with instructions to 'be good'. It was one of those things that let her know, no matter how old she got, she'd always be his little girl. It showed that she wasn't just an asset as Lionel's children had been to him, she was loved. She wanted that for Davis. Then it occurred to her: She was that for him. No matter what, he'd always belong to her.

***

"And I really don't see how that could be considered irrational. Do you?" Lois waited for her cousin to reply, but one look told her Chloe had completely tuned her out. "Cuz? Hey!"

Stumbling from Lois' unnecessary shove, Chloe turned to glare at her cousin. "The hell?"

"You could at least pretend to care. Where'd you go just then?"

"Sorry. What were you saying?"

"Mr. Williams. He...." Lois noticed that once again her cousin's mind had wandered some place else "Chloe!"

"Sorry." Chloe tried to tune in to what Lois was saying. But it was hard when all she could think about was the feel of the muscles in Davis' back as they bunched and flexed beneath her hands. The way his entire body tensed when she ran her tongue up his torso, from his belly button to the pulse in his neck. _God, his taste is the most amazing thing ever._

"What did you just say?" Lois turned to stare wide-eyed at Chloe.

Shit, Chloe winced, did I really just say that. Okay, Sullivan, time to channel Clark. "Uh, what did you hear?"

"I thought," But Chloe couldn't have just said....could she? Because if her little cousin was...well, she'd know. Actually, she'd have to know. How else was she going to hunt the son of a bitch down and threaten him within an inch of his life if he hurt Chloe? Having settled the matter in her mind, Lois shook her head. "Nothing. Never mind."

Chloe let out a sigh of relief. She really wasn't ready to tell her cousin what was happening to her. On top of everything else, the last thing she needed was Lois trying to kill Davis before she could learn the truth about what had been done to them. "So, Mr. Williams?" That seemed to be all the cue her cousin needed to start on her rant regarding teachers and grading systems. And Chloe was trying to pay attention, really she was, but she could feel Davis. Knew he was close by and she wanted nothing more than to find him to be near him. "Listen, I gotta run...something at the paper...so I'll see you in class, yeah."

Approaching from the opposite direction, Clark gave his friend a large smile. "Hey, Chlo. Chloe?" He frowned when she continued forward, not even sparing him a glance. "You two fight?" He asked Lois when she stood next to him.

"No." Lois' brow creased as she watched Chloe walk away. "Something is going on with her. And I really don't like it."

***

"Thinking about writing for the school paper Mr. Bloome." He was standing at her desk in a pair of expensive looking jeans, a well worn pair of leather boots, and a green button up work shirt, looking every bit as incredible as he had in his tux. There was something so completely Luthor about him; that air of arrogance, the way he filled the small room. But there was also something soft about him, kindness that no one would equate with a Luthor.

"Considering the fact that I can't string a sentence together, no." Reaching out he grabbed her hand, pulling her until they were pressed together. "But making out with the editor-in-chief...I'm really good at that."

That wasn't something Chloe could really argue with. "Class starts in like two minutes."

His hands slid into her hair. "Someone's going to be a little late." Before his mouth could do more then brush hers, there was a sharp knock on the door. Davis turned to see the V.P glaring at them through the glass. It took him several moments to realize the man wanted him to separate from Chloe, something he was vehemently against, but had no say in since Chloe backed away a few steps. He waited for the man to walk about before reaching for her again. "What do you say we get out of here." It was clear he wouldn't be able to do any of the things he wanted to do to her as long as they were at the school.

"And go where." The fact that she was considering it was a clear indication that she had a very big problem.

"Anywhere, nowhere. I don't really care." His thumb brushed absently over the back of her hand. "Anywhere I can touch you all I want. However I want. Let's just go."

Bad idea, Chloe heard the warning clearly in her head. Leaving with him, continuing to see him, was just trouble waiting to happen. The best thing for her to do would be to walk out of the office and as far away from Davis Bloome as she could possibly get. "Okay."

***

When the hand clamped down on her shoulder, Lois let out an ear-bleeding scream even as she swung out and dropped into a fighting stance.

"The hell, Lois." Chloe managed to dodge the fist her cousin struck out with, though her eardrums cried out in pain.

"Jesus, Chloe." Lois placed hand over her rapidly beating heart. "Give a girl a warning before you jump out at her in a dark alley."

"Well you knew I was out here waiting for you."

"It's Smallville, Chlo. You're the one who told me bad things happen very quickly here."

Giving her cousin that one, Chloe nodded. Wasn't she out here right now because of the bad turn her night took. "You trust me, Lo?"

"Of course. What's going on? Why are we out here like this? And where did you disappear to today?"

"I need your help." Chloe fought the urge to wring her hands. "I was at this club in Metropolis tonight-"

"The hell. What were you doing at a club? You've been there all day, why?"

"No, I wasn't there all day." When they left the school, Davis took her out on his motorcycle. They rode around for several hours, before finding themselves back at Luthor manor. He wanted to switch vehicles so he could take her out. Chloe agreed, because when she was with Davis she found herself unable to do anything else.

"And what the hell are you wearing?"

Wincing at her cousin's shrill tone, Chloe reconsidered calling Lana. But she knew Lois was justified in her reaction. Her night had been a study in bad decision making. The first of which was ditching school to run off with a guy she hardly knew. The second was traipsing through Metropolis in a skirt that barely covered her ass. "I was trying to look-"

"Like a hooker?" Lois finished for her.

"I was going with older." But she could see where Lois got hooker. And she thought so as well, but when she stepped out of the department store dressing room and saw the way Davis' eyes darkened with desire well...again she had not been thinking clearly all night.

"Whatever. You need to get upstairs and change right now."

"Who are you telling." Though her shoes made her legs look all kinds of hot, her feet were killing her. "But Lois, I need you to focus. I was at his club, with this guy-"

"What guy?" Lois interrupted again, but quickly shut up at her cousin's look. "Sorry."

"Anyway, I was with a guy and the bartender pulled him to the side, so this other guy came up to talk to me and-"

"Let me guess, he slipped you something." Off her cousin's look, Lois bit off a curse. "I'll find him and kill him."

"Look at me, Lo." Chloe grabbed Lois' arms. "Do I look like I've been drugged?"

"No." But she looked worried, maybe even a little scared. "What happened, Chlo?"

"I was going to switch the drinks."

"And you killed him, didn't you. That's why you called me out here, isn't it. To help you hide the body." Lois looked down at her clothes. She'd been fast asleep when Chloe called her and had done nothing more than slip on her flip-flops before throwing a jacket on over her shorts and tank in her rush out the door to her cousin's apartment. "I'm going to need better shoes."

Chloe stopped her cousin before she could run back to her car. She tried not to think about how readily Lois agreed to help her cover up a murder. But she knew, if the shoe was on the other foot, she'd do the same thing. What that said about their relationship, she didn't know. "I was going to switch the drinks." She repeated. "But before I could, Davis grabbed my glass and downed it. I guess the other guy recognized him, because the second he laid eyes on Davis he took off out of there." She told Lois how Davis reached over the bar and pulled the bartender across the surface. "Apparently, he was in on it. Which I pretty much figured, because really isn't that how these things usually go."

Lois listened as Chloe explained how someone had called the police and Davis-whoever the hell that was-began to sway on his feet. But somehow he still managed to put a hand under Chloe's elbow and lead her out of the club, when they reached the parking lot, however, he was leaning on her for support. "Well, what happened to him? Is he okay?"

"That's why I called you. He's in the car." She gestured to the sleek black Porsche behind her. "I couldn't take him home, Lex would never let me hear the end of it." Chloe mumbled as she walked to the car.

"What does Lex have to do with anything?" Lois asked as she rushed to the car as Chloe pulled open the passenger side door. Her eyes tried to make out the face of the man passed out in the car, but the alley didn't provide much in the way of light.

"That's not really important right now. This is Davis."

"Yeah, I figured that much out."

Chloe made a restless movement with her shoulders. Sometimes you just couldn't tell with Lois.

"So, you brought him here?" Lois rubbed her hands tiredly over her face. The passenger side seat was laid all the way back. She couldn't figure out how her cousin managed to wrap the seatbelt around him twice that way. "It looks like you kidnapped him, Chlo. You didn't kidnap him, did you?"

"Technically...yeah, I kind of think I did." Chloe began to unravel the safety belt. "Are you going to help me get him upstairs or not."

"Fine. I still need to change my shoes." Lois ran over to her car, luckily having two set of sneakers in her trunk. Chloe's current footwear were not at all conducive to what they were about to do.

Together they huffed and pulled, grunted and dragged, whimpered and carried Davis up the stairs to Chloe's apartment. They nearly dropped him while Chloe was unlocking the door. When they got him inside the door, they actually did drop him.

"How in the hell did you get him into the car by yourself." Lois asked as she stretched her back.

"He was already half in, I just kind of pushed and shoved him the rest of the way." It had taken her damn near ten minutes. "Ready?"

Lois crotched to lift him again. "To the couch right."

"No, I'm going to put him in my room." Chloe prepared to lift him when she noticed that Lois had stood back up. "What?"

"And where are you going to sleep?"

"In my bed, where else."

"Nope. No. No. There's no way I'm letting you share your bed with some guy you hardly know. Are you insane?"

"Lois, he's not going to be comfortable on the couch." She knew that stubborn look on her cousin's face and prepared to argue. But a wave of exhaustion so strong hit her, she swayed on her feet. There would be no arguing, her brain was not up to working it's way around Lois logic. "Fine. Whatever."

Concerned by, but not about to question, her cousin's easy acquiesce Lois once again bent to lift Davis again. They managed to drag him to the couch, by this point Lois was doing most of it. And managed to rip his shirt in the process of getting him up on the couch.

"Wait, take his shoes off before putting his feet up."

"Should we take his shirt off, too."

"Why should we take his shirt off, Lo?"

"Might as well, it's already ripped."

"Would you want to wake up topless in a strange apartment?"

"Point taken." Stepping back, Lois studied the sleeping man. "He's cute. Actually he's really cute."

Chloe pulled the throw blanket from the back of the couch and placed it over him. "You should see him when he's awake." Her fingers traced the lines of his mouth. "I really appreciate the help, Lo. You shouldn't drive back to the farm so late."

"Like I was going to leave you alone with some strange guy."

"Right." Chloe mumbled before climbing onto the couch. She draped herself across Davis' body, burying her face in his neck, and falling immediately to sleep.

Yeah, Lois didn't think she liked this at all.


	5. Chapter 5

**I disclaim. I own nothing.**

**AN: This chapter is...well the reason for the M rating. This is my first go at writing an adult chapter so I'd really appreciate what everything thinks. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, it was great getting the feedback on this story.**

**Chapter 5**

Davis didn't ease into consciousness, but shot up, ramrod straight on the couch. It was the absence of Chloe's weight that had his heart pounding erratically in his chest. He'd been sleeping peacefully, Chloe was there in his dream, which meant the monster wasn't. But the moment she'd gone, he felt even before he saw that...thing charging at him. He all but felt the claws scrap across his chest as he bolted out of the dream.

"You're not running out there naked. Damn it, cuz, don't make me take you down. Fine. I'll go check."

Davis heard the voice, just before Chloe's cousin stepped into the room.

"He lives. And he's fine." Lois shouted back so that Chloe could hear her.

Davis rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, he wondered how she managed to look threatening in a ridiculous pair of _Bugs Bunny_ pajamas. "That's a matter of opinion." He finally noticed the bottle of aspirin and the water on the table in front of him. "Oh, thank God." He didn't bother counting the pills out. Simply dumped them in his hand and tossed them in his mouth.

"Know where you are hero?"

"Chloe's apartment." Davis mumbled. "You're Lois." He gestured to himself. "Davis Bloome."

"Tell me, Davis, did you intentionally inhale that drink or was that just dumb luck."

"I thought she switched them." His face darkened with his anger. "If I ever see that little bastard..."

He didn't have to finish his thought, Lois had a pretty good idea what his intentions were. "Makes two of us. Look, I have to go shower and change myself. Tell my cousin I'll see her in school."

Something about the way she said it let Davis know that it would be in his best interest to make sure Chloe got to school. When she left, he thought about laying back down and getting a few more hours sleep. But then the altogether too enticing aroma of coffee filtered into his nostrils. Making his way across the room, he felt a breeze under his left arm, and reached around to feel the rip in his shirt. Since it already appeared to be toast, he gave it a tug, sending the buttons scattering before tossing it aside.

"Hey, Lo-" Wrapped in her bathrobe, Chloe came to a skittering halt at the sight of Davis. _Hey._

"Hey. Your cousin said she'd see you at school." Her hair was still wet from her shower. Davis watched, with rapt attention, as a droplet of water fell from the end of her hair onto her collar bone and slid slowly beneath the robe. All the muscles in his stomach clenched and twisted painfully. "I, uh, I...coffee?"

It was one thing to imagine the places his mind had taken, but to actually _see_ the things he wanted to do to her had her leaning against the wall for support. "What?"

"I think your cousin made coffee." Davis had to shake his head clear it. "Do you want a cup?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll get it."

More than happy to step back so that he could follow her into the kitchen, Davis allowed his gaze to travel down her body. It seemed like she and her cousin shared an appreciation for the _Looney Tunes_, if the picture of _Daffy Duck_ on the back of her robe was anything to go by. He wondered if it was genetics that had them wearing the cartoon characters so well. "I think if I don't get you to school today, she may hurt me."

"I'm surprised she even left. How are you feeling?"

He watched as her robe rose temptingly when she reached into the cupboard for two mugs. "Huh, oh. Woke up a little groggy, but it's nothing a cup of coffee won't fix."

Chloe tossed a smile over her shoulder. "That's how I feel about everything. Cream? Sugar?"

"I think I'll take the first one straight up." All he had to do was shift his feet and his chest was pressed against her back. His fingers moved lightly over the curve of her neck. Leaning over he brushed his lips over her ear. "You feel amazing. It should be illegal for anyone to be so soft."

Chloe felt her entire body shudder at his touch, causing her to knock over one of the mugs. "I think Smallville's law enforcement had bigger fish to fry with your father on the loose."

"If I was on the force I'd follow you everywhere." His lips were at her neck now as his hand loosened the belt on her robe. "Crime would be running rampant in the streets, the whole town would fall, and all because of you." He worked the belt loose but didn't move to open the robe. Thought maybe he was pushing his luck until he felt her lean back against him.

"What are you doing?" Chloe asked even as she lifted her arms to wrap around his neck in a reverse embrace.

"Whatever you let me do."

This was a bad idea. Actually this was the accumulation of all the bad ideas she had in the last twenty-four hours. But for reasons completely unknown to her, her mind and body both seemed willing to throw caution to the wind. "Oh...God." The muscles in her thighs began to tremble when his hand slipped inside her robe. She was already wet, had been from the moment she saw him standing shirtless in her living room.

While one of his hands parted her folds, the other tilted her head back to expose more of her neck to him. His teeth sank into that lovely spot where her shoulder sloped to meet her neck, before leaving a trail of heated kisses up to her ear. "The first moment," He breathed into her ear. "Wanted you like this from the very first moment I saw you." His mouth closed over her throat just as he plunged two fingers into her.

_Fuck! _Her knees gave out. The only thing keeping her upright was his body pressing hers against the counter. She was going to have the most unexplainable bruise running across her stomach. That along with marks he was surely leaving on her neck were going to send Lois into a fit, but at the moment her cousin's likely violent reaction was the furthest thing from her mind.

"Feel good?"

"Yes." Chloe moaned, trying her best to stave off the orgasm building swiftly inside of her. _So good_.

"Let go, Chloe." Davis began to thumb her clit as his fingers kept up a frantic pace inside her. _I got you. Just let go._

Chloe shook her head. "Not yet." One of her hands dropped to his wrist, trying to slow his movements. _Slower. Deeper. _She whimpered when he pulled his fingers from her body.

"Show me." His wet fingers tangled with hers to draw her hand down to her center. _Show me what you like._

She could feel his erection pressing against the small of her back. The frantic beat of his heart matching her perfectly. His breath was fluttering against her ear. Somewhere in the apartment her cellphone was going off like mad. But Chloe's entire focus was centered at the spot where their fingers met.

Davis was painfully hard. Thought if she rubbed her cute little ass against him one more time he'd embarrass himself something awful. "Want you. Want you so bad." The hand that had previously been tilting her head back, slid down to cup her breast.

Then it happened. His mouth closed over her pulse, his fingers gave her nipple a none-to-gentle tug, just as she pressed their fingers over the bundle of nerves inside her body. Before she even realized what was happening, before she could prepare herself, she erupted viciously in his arms.

Turning her head, Davis had to cover her mouth with his to muffle her screams.

"Oh....God." Helplessly, Chloe collapsed against the counter, her body shaking from the force of her orgasm. For long moments the only sound that could be heard were their labored breathing. She felt him drag their joined hands up her body. Managing to turn her head just as he brought their wet fingers to his mouth. An appreciative moan sounded in his throat as he sucked both their fingers clean. "I can't-" She had to take a deep, much needed gulp of air. "I can't feel my legs."

"Neither can I." Davis' entire body felt heavy and weighed down. "Maybe we should." He began to lower them both to the floor. They were sleep before they touched down.

It was the sound of the telephone ringing that finally broke through and stirred the sleeping couple. By the time Chloe motivated herself to move, the ringing stopped. Content to stay curled into Davis' side, she nestled her head back on his shoulder. Before her eyes could close, the ringing started again. With an impatient sigh she pushed up, grabbed her discarded robe, and started for the phone.

"What?" She all but barked into the phone

"Chloe? Do you know what time it is? Why are you still home?"

"Jeez, Lo, calm down." Chloe turned her back when Davis climbed to his feet and began to stretch. "Late night, remember. I just went back to bed. I'll be there shortly." She hung up the phone before her cousin could say anything else.

"Oh, God." With a heavy sigh Chloe dropped her head into her hands. How, she wondered, how had her life come to this? Something was done to her, she was completely out of control, and the worse part was she was getting to the point where she didn't particularly care. "Don't touch me." She didn't have to look up to know Davis was behind her, she could feel him. Knew his intentions before he could fully realize them. "I have to get ready for school."

"Why? You already missed your morning sessions." Davis knew he sounded petulant, but he wanted her with him so badly he couldn't help it.

"Because, if I don't go they're going to call my dad." They were likely going to call him anyway. "More importantly if I don't my cousin will be back here banging down that door and attempting to slice you open."

"Fine. I'll go grab a quick shower, come back, and take you to school."

"You don't have to do that."

Davis grinned even though he knew she couldn't see it. "Sure I do, you left your car at the school yesterday."

"Davis," Chloe had waited until he was at the door to speak. "What are we doing?"

At the door his dimples winked with his smile. "Getting ready to go to school." When she rewarded him with a shy smile, he felt the words build in his throat, but refused to let them past his lips. She wouldn't believe him anyway. "I'll see you soon."


	6. Chapter 6

**I disclaim. I own nothing**

**AN: I want to keep Davis, well Davis, but at the same time make him very much a Luthor. Keeping that balance was more work than I thought it would be. And I hope I kept Lex in character as well. I just wanted these two to have a good relationship and make it believably in character. Tell me what you think. Sorry the update took so long, it just took me longer than I thought to work this relationship out.**

**Chapter 6**

"Lex," Davis stopped at the sight of his brother coming down the main staircase of the manor. "I thought you'd be at work by now."

"And I thought you'd be at school." A decision Lex still didn't understand, Davis didn't need to be in school. And he firmly believed no one should endure high school when they didn't have to.

"Yeah, I was going to take a shower and head out." He was hoping to move up to his rooms without further questioning, but he had no such luck.

"You're just now getting home. Davis, you didn't..."

"Look at me, do I look like something bad happened to me."

Lex shook his head. "No." His eyes traveled over his brother's appearance, there was an ugly tear in his shirt, but it was no way near the condition he'd found Davis in at different points in their life. "You actually look like you passed out at a friend's place." When his brother continued to up the stairs, Lex stopped him again. "Where were you? You went out with Chloe last night didn't you."

"I did."

"You stayed with Chloe last night, didn't you." Knowing that Gabe was out of town, Lex didn't think he liked knowing his brother stayed the night alone with Chloe.

"On the couch." Initially he was going to leave it at that, but he never lied to his brother before. Not even a lie by omission. "And before you say anything, Chloe slept on the couch with me but her cousin was there. At least I can only assume she was, she was in the shower with Chloe this morning."

Whatever point Lex was going to make evaporated at this comment. "They shower together?"

"No. Chloe was in the shower and I guess Lois was in there with her. The bathroom, not the actual shower."

"I think I liked my version of events better, but that's still a nice thought. They're strangely close aren't they." And because of his little side trip, Davis started away again. "Not so fast, little brother. Look, I know you like Chloe..."

Seeing where his brother was headed, Davis shook his head. "Don't ask me that, Lex. Don't ask me to stay away from her."

"It's not a good time for this, Davis. She's just coming off this whole mess with Dad. We're trying to figure out how to help you."

"I know. And I understand, Lex, I really do. But, Chloe..." Davis tried to search for the words, wanting to push through the emotion so that he could relate to his brother logically. "You once said that good things don't happen to Luthors, that they run screaming from us. You said a family like ours doesn't deserve good things. I want to deserve her, Lex."

"Davis," Reaching out, Lex placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "I don't think this could end well. And I know what it's like to want something good. But you're my brother, I don't want to see you get hurt."

Davis knew the truth of that statement. Lex had been looking out for him since he was a kid, most especially from their father. But for this, from this, he didn't think he needed his brother's help. "I love her, Lex."

Lex was going to say how Davis hardly knew Chloe. But Davis was, as he'd always had been, a very emotional person. He felt very strongly. So he understood that when his brother said he loved Chloe, odds were it was probably true.

"And I think she could love me, too. Please, Lex. I need Chloe."

"Alright." Lex gave his brother's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I just really hope you know what you're doing." Because odds were good, that this would not go easily.

*******************

Clark could remember the first time he saw Chloe and Davis together. Coming up the hall, heading towards the Torch office feeling pretty good and puffed up after football practice when he heard it. No, not it. _Her._ Chloe. Sounding as if she was experiencing the most exquisite sensation ever. He couldn't remember hearing anyone moan that way. Low and deep and long. It stopped him dead in his tracks.

He thought of kissing Lana, thought of how she never moaned that way. Lana sighed. Which was fine. Really. It was cute-no, sexy. Even if she sounded kind of bored. But just that one time. But Clark really did love the soft little....Chloe moaned again and he lost his train of thought.

It was just that he was curious. It's not like he _had_ to see. Besides, the last thing he wanted to do was walk in and embarrass them all. It was nothing. Just one quick glance over his shoulder to make sure no one was coming. A little concentration and the wall might as well not have existed.

Chloe was propped up on her desk, Davis Bloome was standing intimately between her thighs. One hand was fisted in his shirt, the other clutching at the back of his neck. When she moaned again, Clark saw her fingers tightened, nails digging in just a bit into Davis' neck like she _had_ to hold on. Clark's body reacted instantly.

Part of him wondered if she ever, maybe, hurt Davis a little. No too much. Davis was only human after all. Chloe probably took care not to hurt him.

Clark had seen Davis around school, mostly walking around with that cocksure Luthor self-importance. The only class he ever saw him in was psychology and Clark figured that was only because Chloe was in it. Clark didn't like him, there was just something about Davis that rubbed him the wrong way. It was beyond him what Chloe could want with a guy like that.

"What do you want, baby?" Davis whispered seductively into Chloe's ear. "Tell me."

"You." Chloe answered breathlessly. "I want you."

"Where? Where do you want me?"

Clark frowned. What the hell kind of question was that?

"Inside me. I want you inside me."

Oh, Clark scowled. He could practically hear that annoyingly smug smirk in Davis' voice.

"Do you want me now, baby?"

"Yes. Please." Her hands went to his belt. "Now, Davis."

"You do remember that we're in school, right." But the laugh in Davis' voice was proof positive that he could give a damn about where they were.

Chloe's head tilted to the side, allowing him easy access to her neck. "And."

Clark didn't like this one bit. The Chloe he knew would not be willing to have sex in a public place completely unconcerned with the prospect of being caught. The Chloe he knew wouldn't be begging some self-involved jackass like Davis Bloome to touch her. At least an inhibited Chloe wouldn't. He didn't know who this Chloe was.

"My Chloe." Davis mumbled against her throat. "Mine."

"Clark?"

His cheeks flamed, from anger or embarrassment he couldn't be sure, when he turned to see Lois and Lana staring at him like he grew a second head.

"What the hell are you doing, Smallville?"

"Uh, well, I was..um...on my way into-" Clark's rambling was cut off by Chloe. This time it started as a moan and ended in something of a sigh. And it was beyond hot.

"Ah," Lana nodded in understanding. A hint of mischief lighting her usually serene eyes. "Gotcha."

"They've been going at wherever they can since Uncle Gabe got back."

"Which reminds me, if anyone sees them heading towards my apartment please stop them." Lana's face turned down in a frown. Chloe said nothing happened, but she didn't want to take any chances.

"Clark you're looking like you've never seen a girl get felt up before. Just," With her back still to the door, Lois banged her fist against the wood. "And then give them a few moments to make themselves decent. But since we're all here, I want to take this time to say I don't like this. I really don't like this. And I may kill him."

"I don't know." Lana smiled. "He really gets Chloe, it's nice to see. I think they're kind of sweet together."

Lois frowned at the younger girl. "You would."

"Hey," Clark protested only to receive a dirty look from Lois.

"Shut up. And for the record, I like him, too. I just...don't like _this_." Her cousin finally moving on from Clark was great as far as Lois was concerned. But something about the situation, something about the way Chloe and Davis had to be together, it just didn't sit well with her. Lois noticed that Clark opened his mouth to say something. "I really don't care what you think. Let's just go in."

Clark closed his mouth and followed the girls inside. Davis and Chloe hadn't shifted their positions, if anything they seemed to have gotten closer. And Clark thought he didn't like this anymore that Lois did.


	7. Chapter 7

**I disclaim. I own nothing.**

**Chapter 7**

"It's a doll, Clark, the concept should not be that far out of your grasp."

When Lois and Lana didn't bother to stifle their giggles, Clark gave both girls a deadpanned look. "It's not. I just don't get it. Isn't this more of a health project?"

"It is when we're being instilled with the evils of sex." Chloe explained as she turned the dial of her locker. Before opening it she checked her phone, as she'd been doing every two minutes since she woke up.

"Exactly." Lois picked up the thought. "But when we're learning about the human animal and our capacity to deal with tough situations-"

"Such as parenting." Chloe put in.

"Then it's a psychology project." Lois finished.

Looking down at the doll in his hands, Clark figured that made since and vaguely wished he'd been paying attention in class. That way he would have avoided the whole Chloe and Lois talking to him like he was a flaming idiot. "Well, I still have to get to my locker." And leave before the girls decided to pick him apart over something else. "See you guys at lunch."

"What I don't understand is how I got stuck with him?" Lois complained, shooting an annoyed look at Clark's retreating back.

"You live together, should make things easy." Chloe made a restless movement with her shoulders, but it did nothing to ease the discomfort she felt. "Though I do find your bitter ex scenario very funny."

Lana laughed. "Yeah, that is funny. But you still made out better than I did, I got stuck with Mark Callow."

"Is that the weird guy who sits behind Chloe and sniffs her hair?" Lois frowned, when Lana nodded. "That is unfortunate. What's your scenario, Chlo?"

"Uh," Chloe could hardly think past the discomfort that was slowly giving way to pain. "Davis and I have a baby. Two."

"Speaking of the man's who's usually attached to your face." Lois glanced around the hallway. "Where is Davis?"

The pain seemed to be radiating all the way to the ends of her hair. She felt like everything inside of her was shifting and twisting. "He went to Metropolis with Lex yesterday. Got back late." God, how many hours had passed since he left. He'd been there in her dreams, of course he'd been there. But it wasn't the same, no where near the same as being able to really touch him, kiss him. _He's been gone forever_.

"Oh, come on, cuz. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours."

Not aware that she'd even said anything, Chloe gave her cousin a confused look. "What? Never mind. I have to get out of here. I have to..." Get to Davis. She needed Davis.

"Hey, Chlo?" Lois' voice was full of concern. "You okay?"

Not with this pain, this unbearable pain. How could anyone be okay with this....the pain it was...substantial. Like a living thing and she thought she'd willingly tear open her own skin to get it out. "I can't.."

"Chloe?" Lois grabbed her arm when the younger girl stated to walk away. "What's wrong? Where are you going?"

"I have to...Davis. I need him." _Want. Need. Take. _"Let me go to him. Please."

Lois stood firm despite the killer glare her cousin sent her. "No. I don't understand what's going on. You can't be like this over some guy. And I'm not letting you go anywhere until you tell me what's going on."

"Lois," Chloe spoke slowly. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Come on, Chloe. Do you really think-" Lois' words were forced back down her throat when Chloe slammed her against the bank of lockers.

"Chloe!" Lana jumped away from the two girls.

"I said I didn't want to hurt you." Chloe's voice was full of sincerity, but her fingers tightened painfully on her cousin's arms. "But don't try to keep me from him again." With that she shoved Lois aside and practically ran down the hall.

* * *

When Davis felt Chloe enter the manor, he went down to meet her in the foyer. She was hurting, suffering. He'd do anything to take it from her.

"Davis." Chloe was near tears when she said his name. _Davis, I need you._

"Chloe," Davis spoke her name softly as he pulled her into his arms. "I'm right here, baby. It's okay."

And it was. The moment she was in his arms, everything was okay. Moments ago, she'd thought she'd die from the pain, thought it would rip it's way out of her body and bare teeth. But now, she could almost believe it never happened. With a sob of relief, she all but collapsed against him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Chloe pressed her cheek against his chest, her hands slipping under his t-shirt so she could actually feel the warmth of his skin. "Nothing now."

"You were hurting." He pressed.

"I was. I was wanting you, needing you. And it just started to hurt." Now she felt she couldn't get close enough to him. "I never felt anything like it. I wanted to die." _Wanted you more. Need you more._

Pulling back, he could see the way her eyes darkened with desire. "Chloe...we decided...you said..."

"Forget about what I said." Sliding one hand from under his shirt, she placed it on his cheek. Bringing his face towards hers, she lifted onto the tips of her toes so her mouth could brush against his. "I need you, Davis. Please." With that she closed her mouth over his, fingers going to the back of his neck to keep him from pulling away.

_I need you,_ she kept repeating the words inside his head. Davis knew what she wanted-needed-and it was all he could do to keep from shoving her down on the stairs and burying himself inside her.

Chloe moaned as his fantasy played through her mind. "Yes. Now." Her hands went directly to his belt, only for Davis to grab her wrist.

The eyes that glared up at him flashed a violent blue.

Davis' own eyes flashed as well. If they did what she wanted they ran the risk of getting caught by Lex or someone on staff. And he was likely to kill anyone who dared look at her. "Upstairs."

* * *

Lex heard the commotion outside his office a split second before Lois came barging in. Just behind her was a sheepish Lana and a perplexed Clark. Standing, he waved his frazzled secretary away.

"What the hell did that bastard brother of yours do to my cousin?" Lois demanded hotly. She was sick to death of the weird shit that went on in Smallville. And she was well passed sick of her cousin being hurt by them.

"I'm not entirely sure what you mean." The lie slid smoothly through Lex's lips. He feared his brother had gone to extreme lengths to win the girl of his dreams. But Davis was still his brother and he'd promise to always look out for him.

"Like hell."

"Lois-"

"Shut up, Clark." She snapped impatiently. "Now something is happening to Chloe and it started happening the night of your party."

"The night of my party, Chloe was drunk." Lex had a brief fantasy of strangling his brother. "Maybe her behavior is just a result of her own embarrassment."

"You think her being obsessed with your brother today, has something to do with her getting plastered at your party weeks ago." Lois didn't bother to hide her disgust. "How fucking stupid do you think I am?"

"Come on, Lois-"

"You shut up, too, Lana. I'm sick of this. You all are so full of shit. How could you not have noticed how weird she's been lately." Lois recalled the pain, both physical and emotional, in her cousin's eyes. "The only time she ever exists to you people is when you want something. No matter the danger she might find herself in." She shot a pointed look at Lex. "Now, I looked in her eyes today and whatever she's in, she's in it deep. You all could at least pretend to give a damn."

* * *

Laid across Davis' ridiculously large bed, Chloe wondered how she'd gone so long without knowing the kind of pleasure her body was capable of feeling. He was everywhere she needed, _wanted_, him to be. There was nothing she could do about the violent trembling that wracked her body, she tried to hold on, to center herself by gripping the bedsheets. But as long as he was touching her nothing seemed to help. She begged, but couldn't even say what it was she was begging for.

"God, baby, you taste so good." Davis couldn't get enough of her. The back of her knee was so soft, so sweet, that he just had to sink his teeth into the skin there. He loved the way she trembled when he ran his tongue over the inside of her elbow. Her taste seemed strongest just at the curve of her breast and he couldn't stop himself from marking her there. Or at the curve of her shoulder. Or just behind her ear. And the sensitive skin over her hip was just begging to be tasted, marked.

As he closed his mouth over the pulse at her neck, he was well aware of the fact that he was perilously close to sending her home looking as though she'd been attacked by leeches. But it seemed completely out of his control. He couldn't help but wonder whose needs were guiding him: Chloe's or his own. "I can't get enough of it."

_Don't stop,_ so far gone was she, Chloe couldn't take in enough air to speak. _Please don't ever stop touching me._ Mentally she guided him to where she needed him to be. Amazingly, embarrassingly, each time he sucked her skin into his mouth an orgasm whipped violently through her system. Of all she'd seen, of all she'd experienced, nothing in her life compared to what he was doing to her now. _Inside me. I need you inside me, now._

Davis heard her command and though every instinct in his body told him to give her what she wanted, there was a spot-just between her thigh and the lovely curve of her ass that he had yet to explore. Pulling away from her, he gave her a quick grin before flipping her over onto her stomach.

"Wha-"

"Shh," Davis whispered against her ear. _I haven't finished tasting you. _His mouth trailed lazily down her back, even as his hands slid silkily from her hip to her knee. Slowly he raised her leg until it was practically resting under her arm. The insides of her thighs glistened with her juices. _This may take me a while._

* * *

"After you," Lex replied dryly when Lois pushed him aside to march into the mansion.

"I don't have time for pleasantries." After seeing Chloe's car out front all Lois wanted was to get her cousin and go. "She must have came here straight from school this morning." And if she hadn't listened to Lana and Clark, Lois would have come after her. But no, she wasted well over six hours driving to Metropolis and back. "Chloe!"

"As effective as I'm sure that wasn't," Lex started for his office. "We have a less straining way of communicating around here." Picking up his phone Lex dialed the extension to Davis' room. "In case you haven't noticed Ms. Lane, it's a big house."

Saying nothing, Lois watched as Lex continued to hold the phone to his ear. It was obvious no one was picking up.

Remaining outwardly calm, Lex ended the call and tried the line to the gym instead. When there was no answer there, he called down to the kitchen. Davis was always in one of three places. "Is my brother there? Thank-you."

"Maybe they went out." Lana suggested.

Lex nodded. Chloe's car was the only one parked out front. Odds were good that his brother had taken Chloe out. But the answer he received from the garage didn't make him feel any better.

"You look a little strained, Mr. Luther. Is this place so big that you can actually lose two people?" Lois demanded.

"Let's just head up there, shall we." Lex responded tightly as he replaced the receiver.

"I don't want to over-step." Lana began cautiously. Lois looked ready to spit nails. "But maybe Chloe was right. Maybe what's going on between her and Davis is none of our business."

"Okay, where the hell were you earlier when Chloe morphed into a psycho?" Lois whirled on Lana. "Did you tune out when she threatened to _hurt_ me."

"Normally" Clark stepped in when Lana shrank under Lois' glare. "I'd agree that maybe something happened to her. But you could be over-reacting a little." The way Lois acted sometimes, one would think Chloe was some shrinking violet who needed to be taken care of. "This is not the way Chloe acts when.... somethings been done to her."

"Oh, that's right." Lois turned her glare to the tall farm boy. "If Chloe was on some kind of behavioral drug, she'd be coming after you right?"

Well, Clark gave a mental shrug, yeah. But, "That's not what I meant. Exactly. I've been thinking about this." Lately it seemed like he couldn't think of anything else. And once he rejected the idea of the meteor rock being involved, he'd come to another conclusion. "I think...it's possible Chloe's doing this to make me jealous."

"Oh sweet Jesus." It was too much, it was really too much for her to take at the moment. "Which way is Davis' room?" Lois asked Lex, it was best to get her cousin and go. Any longer and she was going to start swinging.

"This way." Lex grabbed his master key, before leading the way up the stairs. Though the closer they got to Davis' room it became apparent that he no longer needed to show them the way. Chloe's cries told them exactly where they needed to go. By the time they reached the hall of Davis' rooms, Chloe released an ear-piercing scream before going completely silent.

It was all Clark could do to keep from jumping into super speed. But it seemed, despite logic, Lois would have still beat him to the door. Even then, he shoved her out of the way, gripping the knob, and fully prepared to knock the door down.

"Clark!" Lana's voice called out in admonishment. "You can't just barge in there."

Dumbfounded, Clark stared at her a moment. Like hell he couldn't. "You don't know what he's doing to her in there."

"Actually, Clark, I think we all have a pretty good idea of what he's doing to her in there. And I don't think it has anything to do with making you jealous." Lex couldn't have kept the smirk from his face even if he wanted to. But he realized his mistake too late. Before he could utter another word, or point out that he had a key, Clark's shoulder connected with the door. Knocking it completely off it's hinges.

On the bed, Davis lay on top of Chloe. His hands holding her wrists locked above her head. Clark was surprised his head didn't actually explode "Get off her." He charged across the room, prepared to send Davis flying. Only to find himself on the floor sprawled out on his back.

"What the fuck do you all think you're doing?" Davis demanded, turning his body to shield Chloe from the other men in the room.

"Chloe, get your clothes on." Lois started for the bed only to be pulled up short by Lex. "We're going home."

_She's scared for me._ Chloe told Davis silently. _I really hurt her earlier._

_It's okay._ Davis assured her. _Go ahead. I'll see you tonight._

Placing a hand on his cheek, Chloe turned his face to hers, and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. Gathering up a sheet, she wrapped it tight around her body. Instead of collecting her own clothes from the floor, she went to Davis' dresser. Pulling a pair of sweats and a T-shirt out of the drawer before heading to the bathroom.

"When I find out what you did to her, I'm going to destroy you." Lois vowed to Davis.

"I didn't do anything to her." Not having a modest bone in his body, Davis tossed aside the quilt. Naked as the day he was born, he pulled on the jeans he'd left beside the bed.

"I don't believe you." Clark rubbed a hand over his throat. "Chloe doesn't know you. There's no way she'd have done...that," He gestured to the bed in disgust. "Without being manipulated somehow." And there was no way Davis would have been able to shove him like he had, unless he was infected with the meteor rocks.

"If that's what you need to help you sleep at night..." Davis' easy manner changed. His eyes changing slowly to a heated blue. "But if you ever barge into my room like that again, it'll be the last thing you'll ever do." When he turned to Lois, his eyes were once again a melting brown. Everything about his demeanor was kind and inviting. "I know what you mean to her. And I know that she's really sorry about what happened earlier. But you should know, I love her. I'd never do anything to hurt her."

Lois frowned. This was not at all what she expected from him. Luthors were hardly the explaining themselves type. Before she could respond, Chloe walked back into the room. "Be at The Talon after school tomorrow." Lois addressed everyone as she reached out to grab her cousin's hand. "This stops now. And I swear to God we will figure out what's going on if it kills someone."

"I really like the way you look in my clothes, beautiful." Davis' grin spread slowly as his eyes followed Chloe across the room.

_And I really like the way you look out of them._ Chloe returned his grin. _I'll be seeing you. _She hesitated before going with Lois. She wanted to kiss him before she left, actually she wanted to do more than kiss him. _I want to feel you inside me again._

"Okay, it's definitely time to go." Lois grabbed her cousin's arm.

Shit. "Did I just say that last part out loud."

Davis grinned. "Yeah, you did."

"I should-" Embarrassed she gestured towards the door. _Later._

Davis gave a nod of acknowledgment. When Chloe, Lois, Clark, and Lana were well out of earshot, he turned to glare at his brother. "Don't you ever look at her like that again."

Lex's face remained passive. He'd have to be dead not to appreciate the way Chloe looked in that sheet; hair mused, with that freshly fucked glow to her skin. Why couldn't he ever be the recipient of one of Chloe's drug induced lust fest? Unlike Clark, he'd have taken full advantage. And unlike his brother, he'd wouldn't have let her leave this room. "Sorry."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't break your neck for bringing them up here."

"She's a child, Davis." Though the reaction he just had to her more than proved the he would never see Chloe as a child. "And we both know you're something...else. What did you do to her?" There was no judgement or harshness in Lex's words, just the simple honesty that was always between them.

"Nothing." Davis all but growled, glaring at his brother in a way he'd never had before. "Now get the fuck out of my room."

* * *

"You know this isn't right, Chloe." Lois tried to remain calm as she spoke to her cousin. "And yet you came over here and had sex with a man you hardly know."

Exhaustion was creeping up slowly on Chloe. She just didn't have it in her to fight with Lois. "I know enough. I know I'm his." _And he's mine._

"Chloe do you even hear yourself?" Clark stepped in before Lois could. "He's done something to you. And you're just letting it slide."

"I'm not letting anything slide. This is right. Why can't you all-"

Chloe's body didn't sway, but literally dropped. Somehow Lois managed to catch her before she hit the ground. "Chloe? Chlo?"

"What happened?" Clark tried to pull his friend into his arms, but Lois held tightly to the other girl. "Is she okay."

"Yeah," Lois began slowly. "I-I think she's asleep."

"Okay," Lana's voice was full of concern. "Now I'm scared."

Lois started to reply, but changed her mind. "Can you carry her to the car, please, Smallville." She needed to get her cousin the hell away from these people.

* * *

_When Davis felt Chloe straddle his back, he smiled sleepily. "Gonna give me a rub-down, beautiful?"_

_Leaning over him, Chloe placed her mouth against his ear. "I thought I just did that." When he laughed, she uncapped the black marker in her hand. "You seemed to get a real kick out of flashing Lois and Lana earlier."_

_Not at all fooled by her casual tone, Davis continued to smile. "Jealous?"_

_Jealous? "No." Pissed? Yes, definitely pissed. "But there's something I need to do, in case you want to go and get naked in front of anyone else who isn't me."_

_"Yeah? What's that?"_

_"Hold still." Leaning over him, Chloe moved the marker over his shoulder. "Don't move." She chastised when he tried to look over his shoulder. "You'll mess it up."_

_"What are you writing?" Davis asked suspiciously. Admittedly, he found her hint of possessiveness really hot._

_Replacing the cap on the marker, Chloe admired her handiwork with a smile. "Nothing now."_

_"You know," Davis rolled over so he could look at her. "No one will be able to see that on my back."_

_"You're right." As if it was totally reasonable, Chloe started a new design on his chest. "Are we going to be naked in all your dreams now?"_

_"It's not a bad thing to be. I just wish it wasn't always my dream. I wish that thing would just go away." He started to turn towards the window, where he knew the monster would be standing._

_"Don't look," Cupping his cheek in her hand, Chloe turned his face so he was looking at her and not out the window. "It can't come in here. It can't get you."_

_Soothed by her absolute certainty, Davis lay content with the feel of her body straddling his. Unfortunately a question kept nagging at him._

_"Yes." Chloe answered as she leaned down to place teasing kisses on his lips. "I think the earth literally moved. I didn't know it could be that way. The first time-"_

_"I don't want to hear about that." Davis cut her off sharply._

_"You should, but I'll wait until you're not still stewing over Clark and Lex nearly seeing me naked."_

_Davis sat up abruptly, fisting her hair in his hand. "I don't want another man to ever see you like that." He didn't want another man to even look at her, period._

_"The second bit you're just gonna have to learn to deal with." Chloe smiled as she ran her hands soothingly over the back of his head. His possessiveness didn't bother her, not when she knew she could soothe him so easily. "But I promise, no other man will ever see me the way you do. No one."_

_"Mine." He rested his brow against hers. "Say it. Promise me."_

_"Yours." Chloe whispered against his lips. "Only yours."_


	8. Chapter 8

**I disclaim. I own nothing.**

**Chapter 5**

"Hey," Davis stepped into the Torch office where Chloe was absorbed in something on her monitor. He knew she was aware of his presence, probably knew he was on his way before he left class. "Lois."

"Davis," Lois gave a brief nod. This was awkward for so many reasons. Not the least of which was the fact that she saw him completely nude not twenty-four hours ago. "Come to maul my cousin again."

"If she lets me."

Lois hated to admit his smile was charming, that he looked at Chloe as if she was the most precious thing he'd ever seen. That when Chloe finally looked up from her computer, her grin was from ear to ear.

"I want you to." Chloe confirmed. "But I won't let you. What's up?"

"Remember that specialist I was telling you about?" He told her all about the blackouts that had plagued him since childhood. Told her how his father always told him they weren't anything to worry about. But now that Lionel was behind bars, Lex was doing his best to find out what was wrong with him and a way to cure him. "Well, Lex got me an appointment today. So we're going to go meet with him and then probably have lunch." As much as he wanted to cross the room to her, he remained just inside the door. If he went near her, if he touched her, odds were good he'd be dragging her out to his car.

"You and your brother better be at the Talon later." Lois warned.

"We will. I have the kids with me." He held up his backpack, that he somehow fashioned into a baby carrier without it looking as if the dolls were simply stuffed inside.

Chloe laughed. He was having much more fun with this doll thing then she was. "Call me as soon as you leave the doctor's office. Promise."

A slow smile curled the corners of Davis' lips as he placed his right hand over his heart and inclined his head in a sort of bow. Then with a wiggle of his fingers he was gone.

Lois said nothing as she watched this exchanged. Taking in the light flush and the dreamy smile that crossed her cousin's features.

**"**I really wish you would stop looking at me that way." Chloe didn't bother to look up from her computer screen as she spoke to Lois. "I'm not going to snap back into crazy Chloe from yesterday."

"That's not what I'm thinking. I'm worried." Lois shook her head to cut off Chloe's protest. "No, I think I've earned the right to be worried. You're not allowed to go crazy on me, Chlo. How would I survive without you?"

"You wouldn't." Chloe joked as she shut down her file. When she saw that Lois' smile didn't quite reach her eyes, she stood to face her cousin. "Whatever's going on, we'll figure it out somehow. Between the two of us, the Luthor boys, and Clark and La-" She cut herself off, paused a moment. "Well, you, Lex, Davis, and I...we'll get to the bottom of this. I just need you to believe me when I tell you: Davis had nothing to do with it."

"How can you be so sure?" Because Lois wasn't anywhere near being ready to believe it.

"I'll explain it all later, okay. It'll be better if I can just go through it all once. But just trust me, please. Davis would never do anything to hurt me."

"Okay." Lois nodded, she trusted Chloe more than anyone. "Can I ask you something, though?"

"Shoot."

"You left school yesterday, at like 9a.m...." She trailed off at her cousin's slow grin. "Okay, now I just have to know."

They couldn't have wiped her grin off with a sandblaster, but still Chloe tried to pull off the innocent look. "Know what?"

"Oh, come off it. The drive, for us, was damn near six hours." She noticed Chloe biting her lip. "Come on, I have to know. I'll explode if you don't tell me."

"I lost count of the number of orgasms I had after the seventh one." Chloe blurted out in a rush.

"Holy shit."

Just then the door to The Torch office flew open.

"Jesus, Smallville, are you just going to go around busting open doors now."

Clark's face was a bright, heated red. He couldn't say what he was planning on doing when he charged into the room the way he did.

"School's not on fire, is it? Because otherwise that was just stupidly excessive." Chloe frowned at the tall farm boy who stood in the doorway with a dumbfounded look on his face. "Clark?"

"Oh my God, is there a fire in here. Ow." Lana came running into the room, but ended up on her butt when she ran into Clark's back. "I mean really, _ow." _She emphasized when Clark didn't even turn to help her up.

"Clark."

"Smallville."

Clark had nothing. He couldn't really tell them that he'd heard Chloe mention orgasms and came running like he'd somehow get to be involved with her next one. "I, uh, I..." '_heard two hot girls discussing orgasms, thought the only natural way for that conversation to progress was aforementioned hot girls to start experimenting on each other, and rushed down here to watch'_. No there was no way he was going to say that. Lois would kill him, Chloe would provide the weapon, and Lana would cry-all while helping them hide his dead alien body. "I thought I left the copier on...and growing up on a farm...and the son of Jonathan Kent...because Lex, kinda, you know...with the meteor rocks...and then a fire."

"Wow."

"That wasn't even remotely coherent."

"Guys, seriously, ow. I honestly think I might be concussed."

*******************

It was the last hour of the day; Chloe, Lois, and Lana made their way lazily into English class. After Clark rambled off another excuse before ducking out of the room, the day continued on pretty much without incident. And as soon as the final bell rang, they would head out to The Talon to get down to the bottom of whatever was going on with Chloe and Davis.

"Okay, let's try it this way," Lois was saying as she took her seat across from Chloe. "How much time would you say passed between number seven and Clark knocking the door down?"

Chloe's brow creased in thought. "I honestly can't say." Especially when she thought she may have passed out at one point.

"You passed out!" Lana announced to the room.

"I really have to get a handle on that."

Lois laughed. "And soon."

"Alright, children." Jon Mowry closed the door behind him as he came into the room.

"I can totally see why you hit on him, Lo." Even though her tone was teasing, Chloe eyes held more than a hint of appreciation as she took in their teacher.

"You're like the worse person ever."

Jon tried not to smile as he overheard the girls conversation. "Is everyone ready for the test?"

Lois and Chloe turned to one another, the question spilling from both their lips. "Test?"

"Test." Lana concurred from behind them.

"Ms. Sullivan, you don't seem too confident." Jon commented as he handed out the tests.

"I've been a little..."

"Tied up?" Lois offered

"Pinned down?" Lana tried.

"Distracted. I was never tied up." Chloe finished, leaning over to slap her cousin on the arm. "Here's hoping this is multiple choice and you don't actually have to spell anything."

"Doesn't matter I just plan on coping off of you."

"I didn't just hear that, Ms. Lane." Jon commented on his way back to his desk. "You have the entire period to finish."

"Hey, Cuz, what did you get for the date?"

"Tuesday. What did you get for name?"

"The future Mrs. Johnny Deep."

"Okay, ladies. Get to work."

Thirty-five minutes later, Chloe was carrying her test up to the desk with the rest of the students as they filed out of the classroom.

"How did it go for you, Ms. Sullivan?" Jon smiled, already knowing that Chloe passed.

"It was a tough one." Chloe replied with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not getting any sleep tonight, let me tell you."

"Must you be so smug." Lois placed her test on the desk as well. "I don't know how you were even allowed to take this class."

"It's a requirement, Lo. Don't be bitter."

"I'm not bitter." Although Lois' tone would suggest otherwise. "It's just....you suck."

Chloe laughed. "Aw, Lo-" The pain hit instantly. Clutching one arm around her waist, Chloe used the other to brace herself against the desk. "Lo?" There was another sharp lance of pain that dropped her to her knees.

Lois and Lana were on her in an instant. The few students left paused to watch the scene with uncertain eyes. Coming around the desk, Jon went to Chloe's aide as well. When he saw her eye color had changed to a lightening blue, he had to bite back a curse. When he got his hands on his sister...

"Chloe, what is it?" Lois tried placing a soothing hand on her cousin's stomach, but Chloe flinched away in pain. "What's wrong?"

"Davis. I need-"

"Do want for me to call an ambulance?" Jon offered, though he knew what the response would be.

"No. Lo, please, just get me to Davis."

Hating it and wishing desperately for someone to hurt for this, Lois nodded. "Okay, sweetie, whatever you need. Lana?" She motioned for the other girl to help her. Together they got Chloe to her feet.

"Ms. Lane-" Jon felt he needed to apologize for her cousin's current state. But wasn't quite sure how to do that without reveling what he and his sister were.

Lois shook him off. "I've got her. I'll take care of her."

Jon nodded. Of course she would.

**********************

The car had barely pulled to a stop when Davis wrenched open the back door and pulled Chloe out. Cradling her in his arms, he carried her inside. With something sounding eerily like a growl he had the kids in the closest booth scrambling for the door.

"Shh, it's okay, baby." Davis spoke softly against her ear as he gently rocked her in his arms. "I've got you, now. It'll be okay." His hand inched under the hem of her sweater to rest on her stomach.

Standing at the counter, Lex, Lois, and Lana gave the couple their privacy.

"What happened?" Lex kept his back to his brother and Chloe. He didn't want to see them that way. Because if something had been done to them, obviously they'd have to reverse it. And he knew his brother's feelings for Chloe were real, he'd hate to see what would happen if Davis were to lose her.

"She was in pain." Lana answered when it looked like Lois wouldn't. "We were just walking out of class when she just...doubled over. Like she'd been punched or something."

"She needed him." Lois stated evenly. "It's almost like she's addicted to him."

"I wouldn't say addicted, exactly." Chloe clarified sometime later as they sat together in a booth in the corner of The Talon. The pain in her stomach had disappeared the instant Davis took her in his arms.

"Okay, so what would you say? Exactly." Lois countered.

"I'm not shooting down your theory, entirely. I have a need for him that's like an addiction, I guess. But in other ways isn't."

"What are you talking about?"

The two of them continued to go back and forth. At one point drifting off the subject at hand and arguing about who's fault it was that their fathers didn't trust them alone together anymore.

"Do they always exclude others from their conversations this way?" Lex asked, his tone not at all belying his annoyance at being ignored.

"Yes." Clark and Lana answered at the same time.

"I'm just saying there are other factors that.... don't have anything to do with addiction whatsoever."

"Well are you going to stop being so goddamn cryptic and tell us what those other factors are."

_God, I really don't want to do this. _Chloe mentally spoke the words to Davis. _I need you so much._

_I know, I need you, too._ Davis brushed his lips over her temple. _The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get out of here._

"Today, cousin. What other factors?"

"Does it really matter what the other factors are?" Clark demanded. "When I think it's pretty safe to say that whatever was done was done to Chloe and not him. He's not in pain like she's been. Or going around _uncharacteristically_ attacking people. Or slipping into mini-comas-"

"Wait," Lex interrupted. "Are saying Chloe's having black-outs?" He shot his brother an annoyed look. Talk about information he could have had before hand. "Davis has black-outs as well."

"No, not black-outs." Davis corrected. "Not in the way you mean. I"m sleep. When I wake up, I can remember my dreams, I can remember everything, just like when I'm asleep." He knew what his brother was concerned about and did his best to reassure him. "It's not a black-out."

"Yeah, it's the same for me."

"That could just be apart of whatever he did to her." Clark refused to believe that Davis had nothing to do with this. "It would explain why he's not at all physically affected the way Chloe is." And he hadn't completely ruled out Davis using the meteor rocks. They would explain how Davis was able to hurt him.

"There is this." Standing Davis pulled his sweater over his head so that they could see his back.

"So what, you got a tattoo." Clark wondered if Davis was just looking for a reason to take his shirt off.

With a shocked gasp, Chloe reached out to dance her fingers over the design she'd drawn on him. It was much larger than she remembered making it, spanning the width of his shoulders. " '_you are Mine, said she'_." Chloe whispered the words she wrote on him.

"What is it?" Clark asked.

"It's a claddagh." Lex answered.

"Like the ring Angel gave Buffy."

"Seriously, Lana." Lois stared at the brunette incredulously. "At this moment, that's what occurred to you."

Chloe continued to ignore them as she tried to process what she was looking at. At the moment this was beyond even what she was capable of processing. Then she remembered, she'd done more than the one design. "The others."

"Just one." With a shrug Davis pulled his sweater back on, before pulling up the sleeve so they could see where Chloe's name was written inside his right forearm.

"I'm so sorry, Davis."

"It's okay." Especially since he had the sneaking suspicion that he was the one responsible for his new body art.

_How?_ Chloe asked. _I drew them on you. You never even looked._

"I can't explain it." Davis answered out loud.

"But Chloe just said she drew them last night." Lana answered, unable to know of the silent questions Chloe whispered in his head.

"Did you see any tattoos on him last night?" Lex asked. "And I don't think I'm going out on a limb here when I say that Chloe likely dropped into a deep sleep before she even got to her car."

"We're connected...subconsciously." Chloe spoke directly to Lois. "We can hear each other's thoughts. We can feel what the other is feeling. And...we're sharing dreams. I drew that on him last night in our dream."

For several long moments everyone was quiet. Lois opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it. This town, she thought, needed to be condemned. God forbid some of this craziness seeped out into the real world.

"We have to figure out who would have wanted to curse one of you." Lex looked across the table at the teenage reporter with the acidic tongue and his brother who could be every bit as ruthless as his father when he wanted to be. "This may take a while."

"No," Lana shook her head. "All we have to figure out is who hates both Chloe and Davis enough to curse them." At the odd looks she was getting she continued. "It's just that with the shared dreams and everything, it seems like they would both need to be cursed."

"Lana's right." _And isn't that scary._ Chloe jabbed Davis in his side with her elbow when he started to laugh. Unfortunately she couldn't get to Lois to keep her cousin from choking on her latte. "And I can only think of one person who would be out to get us and not be above using witchcraft to do it."

"And usually I wouldn't put anything pass Lionel." Davis began as he absently ran his fingers up and down Chloe's arm. "But I don't think he would link you to someone else."

Chloe was finding it hard to concentrate with the feel of Davis' fingers on her skin. She vaguely heard him mention something about Lionel being too possessive, but she couldn't seem to care about Lionel or anyone else at the moment. Not when her mind was so full of Davis and the way he made her feel with just a simple touch of his hand. Her mind began to drift to the previous afternoon spent in his bedroom. The way it seemed like each individual muscle in her body began to tremble at his touch. The way her orgasms seemed to build at the mere thought of his mouth on her. God, she wanted him again.

"Okay, you really need to figure out how to stop doing that." Lois advised her cousin.

Chloe cringed. "I said the wanting part out loud didn't I."

"The orgasm part, too." Lois confirmed.

Chloe nodded, tried to think of something to explain her statement away. Came up with nothing. Admittedly she didn't try too hard. "On that note." She began to shove Davis out of the booth. "We'll catch you kids later."

Davis started to say something, but Chloe grabbed a fistful of his sweater and pulled him out of the front door.

"You know what they're going to do ." Lex asked Lois.

"And how do you suppose I would have stopped them." Lois spoke in the same easy tone as Lex.

Lex conceded her point with a nod. "So, we're all just going to sit here and pretend Chloe isn't taking Davis somewhere to fuck their brains out."

As calm and collected as she wasn't, Lois stood from the table. "Let's also pretend you didn't just say that. Besides," She paused on her way to the door. "Someone in this God forsaken town should be having fun."

To hide the appreciative curl to his lips, Lex lazily lifted his cup of coffee. Once again he had to conceed her point and wondered if she was hinting at something a bit more in her statement.

**AN: The line Chloe wrote on Davis is from the e.e cummings poem 'may i feel said he'**


	9. Chapter 9

**I disclaim. I own nothing.**

**Chapter 9**

Clark could accept that Chloe was under some kind of spell, it was Smallville; what was a curse among the other weird crap that went on. Davis, obviously, had something to do with it. The girls had a habit of attracting the wrong type of guy. He hadn't known Lois all that long, but he figured it was just a matter of time before the weirdos started flocking her way.

What he didn't like, couldn't accept, and didn't understand was why everyone was just letting Davis get away with what he'd done. The whole school was talking about Chloe and Davis as if they were this hot new couple and not some poor girl and the bastard who'd taken advantage of her. And Lois-who'd been all 'my cousin' 'my Chloe' 'mine, mine, mine'-was playing happy families with Davis. Lex, too if he stopped to think about it.

It had gotten to the point that he kind of didn't like hanging out with them anymore. Davis and Chloe spent the majority of the time whispering to each other, while Lex and Lois alternately sniped at one another and trying to gain their relatives attention. He was beginning to feel that he was the only one concerned about this curse. At the very least Lex and Lois could try to keep Davis and Chloe apart.

"You're in denial, Clark." Lex stated dryly. "And you're bordering on obsessive."

"Actually, I think I'm the only one handling this like it should be. Look, I get that Davis is your brother-"

"He didn't do anything to her, Clark." Lex fought the urge to rub his hand over the top of his head in exasperation. "You don't know my brother. He'd cut off his own foot before he hurts anyone, most especially Chloe. And I think Lois and I have learned that trying to come between them before we find a way to fix whatever's been done to them is pointless. That's life is Smallville, Clark. It sucks, but what are you going to do."

"And when she gets hurt by this." Because as far as Clark was concerned it was only a matter of when. "What am I suppose to tell my friend?"

Coming around the desk, Lex sat on the edge facing Clark. "I'll be honest with you. When Lois barged into my office it occurred to me, briefly, that my brother might have done something. He was crazy about her long before any of this happened. I think the only reason he decided to stay or even enrolled in school was to be around her." Lex knew his brother and what he wasn't telling Clark was that he firmly believed Davis had loved Chloe upon first sight. And seeing Davis light in a way he hadn't been since childhood, well Lex couldn't honestly say he was in a rush to see whatever spell they were under ended. "I talked to Davis. I tried to steer him away from Chloe."

"Yeah. I can see how well that worked." Clark mumbled.

"Don't interrupt, Clark." Lex just managed not to laugh at the petulance on the boy's face. "When I talked to him, I realized that his feelings were genuine. He needs her, Clark. I can assure you that regardless of whether or not we break this curse, Davis is not going to just give her up."

"And don't you see the problem there. He's like this unstable, possessive, lunatic." Clark pushed out of his chair to pace the room. "Give her up? He won't let anyone within ten feet of her. Chloe isn't his. She was my friend long before he showed up. But she has no time for me anymore. You think it's okay for him to treat her like some sort of possession, to keep her away from her friends?"

This, Lex thought, coming from a boy who actively stalked a girl. Right. "Listen to me, Clark, because I'm talking to you as a friend. Not just Davis' brother. Let Lois and I handle this. Davis isn't going to give her up easily. And Chloe is not exactly the best of help trying to find a way to reverse whatever it is that was done to them." It was becoming painfully obvious to both Lex and Lois that breaking this curse wasn't going to be as easy as they thought. "I think you should stay out of this. I understand you're Chloe's friend. But I think this situation is best handled by family. I can assure you, it's being handled."

********************************************************************************************************************************

With a spring in his step, Clark headed to The Torch office where he knew his girls were having lunch. As usual, Davis took off after first period, and Clark no longer had to share the girls. When Davis wasn't around it felt like he had Chloe back. Sure he didn't like the large marks that covered her neck, there always seemed to be marks (Lana called them love bites, Lois called them hickeys, and Chloe called them none of his business) on her neck, but once he accepted that her behavior was simply out of her control, his poor mood would pass. And when Lois and Lex figured out how to reverse what had been done that relationship would be over and Chloe would be back where she belonged.

Clark was glad he'd gone to Lex. Sure his friend hadn't told him everything he wanted to hear, but he was assured that things were being done to get Chloe back. And at the moment it was the best he could ask for.

Standing outside the closed door, he watched them through the window. As opposite as the three of them were, they looked so perfect together.

"Look, I'm not saying we hide a camera or anything." Lois was saying. "It's just that Clark and Davis together for a weekend is an event."

"Explain to me again how this became an 'us' weekend. I mean, Lana, don't you want to spend time with Jason."

Lana turned wide eyed to the other two girls in the room. "What? Jason...I...how?"

"Lana please," Chloe gave an exasperated sigh. "I'm a journalist. It is my job to know things, to investigate, to dig up the truth. And I saw Jason sneaking out of your apartment one night. So he was either with you or robbing The Talon."

"Oh." Lana sank back in her chair, really there wasn't much she could say to that.

"You hardly spend any time with us. Uncle Gabe is going away again, sleepover is pretty much implied. Especially with the new digs."

It was one of the things Chloe couldn't stop Davis from doing no matter how hard she tried. It seemed he was eager to spend his money on her, bucket loads of it. Odds were good, being she knew what he was thinking, that she could stop him before he dropped too much money. He never liked it, always arguing that it was his money and he could spend it any way he liked. Chloe couldn't really argue with that, but she had to draw the line somewhere. And Davis buying her a car, because she enjoyed driving his was just ridiculous and she told him as much. Which was probably why he went over her head in regards to the house.

Gabe had barely been able to contain his excitement, Chloe had come home from school intending to grab a quick shower before heading off to meet Davis. But her father had stopped her, telling her in a rush how Lex had called him into his office, apologized for all the trouble Lionel had caused them, and practically begged Gabe take the house as a peace offering.

Chloe didn't buy it, especially since she'd just had a conversation with Davis about her living arrangements. And Lex begging, it wasn't in his DNA. But her father had been so happy to finally move them out of their tiny apartment that she could do nothing but share in his enthusiasm. That's not to say she didn't let Davis have it when he came by a few moments later; he admitted to talking to Lex. Going so far as to tell her that he didn't even have to talk his brother into it, that both the young Luthors felt it was only fair. Then he flashed his dimples and offered to help them move. It was really heard to stay mad at him when he smiled.

"No. My father is going away, I now have a room bigger than a shoe box, sleepover is implied but just not the kind you think."

"Okay, technically, it's my house too, now." Lois sent her cousin a smug smile. "So, if I want to have a sleepover, I'm going to have a sleepover."

"You can't invite my boyfriend to a sleepover."

"I'm not. I'm inviting Clark and Lana over for a sleepover the same weekend your planning on shacking up with your boyfriend."

Chloe gave a displeased sigh, it's not that she could really complain. She and Davis spent plenty of time together, too much time depending on who you asked. And usually, as her father had been spending a lot of time away since starting back at Luthorcorp, she stayed with Davis. "Why can't you guys have a sleep over at Clark's?"

"Why would I have a sleepover at a house I no longer live at? How would I even explain that to the Kents?"

"Oh! I know." Holding up her arm, Lana began to bounce in her chair. "You just say 'You see Mrs. Kent, Lana and I really want to hang out together, but we need our sleep. And though you might not know it to look at her, Chloe's a screamer'."

Clark decided to walk in just as Chloe threw a ball of paper at Lana. His smile was a bit forced, but at least he tried. "What's going on?"

The three girls shared a look. "Nothing." It was Lois that answered. "We were just wondering what you had planned for the weekend."

Though he knew where this was going, Clark figured it was in his best interest to pretend he didn't. "Nothing. Why?"

"Chloe's dad is going out of town on Thursday, so we're going to have a coed sleepover. You in?"

Clark smiled brightly at Chloe. "Definitely."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "I know a whole weekend with Lana is the stuff of your dreams, but just try to contain yourself." Which was another reason she was counting herself out, she loved Clark and Lana, really she did. But if she didn't have to subject herself to the ridiculous game they played, she'd prefer not to. And clearly this was a lesson her cousin was going to have to learn the hard way. It would serve her right for ruining her weekend.

"Serve who right for ruining what weekend."

Chloe gave a frustrated groan. "Damn. It." Somehow she was going to have to figure this thing out. "Nothing. I want my boyfriend to myself this weekend."

"You always have your boyfriend to yourself." Lois countered.

But not where she wanted him and Lex had a house full of people that they always had to be on the lookout for. "Hey, why don't you guys have your sleepover with Lex. There's a pool-"

"You have a pool now."

"A pool table."

"Again, so do you."

"A home theater."

Lois had to admit Chloe had her there. And when she stopped arguing with her cousin she realized what Chloe was getting at. "Wait. The whole point of this weekend is to spend time with you. You're shipping us off to the Luthor stronghold so you can screw your boyfriend on every available surface without the fear of being walked in on."

Well, Chloe thought, yeah. "Lo, we live together, we go to school together. People are starting to question the amount of time we spend with one another. I'm some really strange comments from people."

Because she'd gotten a few herself, Lois rolled her eyes. But most of hers came from Lex who made reference to her and Chloe showering together, and naturally she responded without thinking. Only later she realized that he was referring to recently and not when they were kids. When she tried to explain that to him, it was clear he wasn't really buying it. She figured he said something to Chloe as well. "He's a guy." And he may be rich, intelligent, with an air of dangerous sexuality, but he was still a guy. And all their simple minds went to the same place when they saw two girls together. "Our relationship is perfectly normal."

Clark started to respond, but held his tongue instead. He wouldn't consider any familial relationship in which showering together was normal. And if Lex were to be believed, the Sullivan-Lane cousins were no strangers to shared showers. Actually it was down right strange, hot, but strange none-the-less.

Unaware of the direction of Clark's thought process, Lois continued her argument. "And any free time you have that's not spent here," She gestured around the Torch's office. "You spend pressed naked against your boyfriend. I miss you. I feel like I'm losing you to him."

And if nothing else, that got through to Chloe. "Fine." Glancing over her shoulder, she could see Davis pull into the parking lot on his bike. "I gotta go." Instead of running out the door, she stood in front of her cousin who was perched on her desk. "You're not losing me. I promised." And with a quick kiss to Lois' cheek, she dashed from the room.

*****************************************************************************************************************************************

"Is it possible that Johnny Depp is the most perfect man ever created?"

"Yes." Lana answered. "Long hair, short hair, red hair, blond streaks...."

"Eye liner, glasses, gold teeth, women's clothing, scissors for hands." Chloe picked up the thought seamlessly. "He's absolutely perfect."

Lounging in a chair with Chloe sitting on the floor between his legs, Davis watched the man on screen. "I don't see it."

With her head resting on his knee, Chloe looked up at her boyfriend. "Liar. Inanimate objects are attracted to Johnny Depp."

"She's right." Lois agreed from the couch. "And I can prove it. Hey Clark, are you attracted to Johnny Depp?"

When Davis began to laugh, Chloe slid her hand under his pant leg and pinched his calf. She knew he didn't feel it, but the point was made. "Sorry, baby."

"It's okay. Now, shh, Johnny's talking."

Hearing a challenge in her words, Davis pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. His lips brushed lightly, almost absently, over her neck. His fingers trailed up and down her arms. When she continued to stare at the television, he grinned.

Chloe knew what he was doing, but she wasn't going to let him win. That's why she continued to watch the movie. True she couldn't say what was going on, but he didn't need to know that. The light brushes of his lips soon became soft open mouth kisses. Her eyes fluttered when he found that vulnerable spot just behind her ear.

Willing to play the game for as long as it took, Davis angled her head to the side with a slight nudge of his chin giving himself better access to her neck. Alternating between little flecks of his tongue and open mouth kisses. Knowing what she liked, he spent a lot of time biting gently at her pulse. Then he'd go back to that spot behind her ear, using his teeth the way she liked.

Since all hope of following the movie was gone, Chloe concentrated on regulating her breathing. There was just something so wrong, but so undeniably hot about the way he was making her feel with Lois, Lana, and Clark sitting across from them. _I hate you._

Davis smiled as he heard her words whispered inside his head. _You think I'll be taking this too far if I stick my hand down your shirt right now._

"Don't you dare." When she turned her head to look at him, her eyes immediately went to his mouth. She missed the triumphant gleam in his eye, but she could feel the excitement rush through him. Unable to stand it, Chloe fisted both hands in his hair and brought his mouth to hers. It wasn't comfortable, angling her head back the way she was, but the discomfort was secondary to the pleasure his mouth created.

Clark couldn't believe what he was happening. From his place on the couch between Lois and Lana, he could see that Chloe's mouth was practically devouring Davis'. And he couldn't believe that Lois and Lana continued to watch the movie as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

Not willing to break the kiss, Chloe somehow managed to shift around on her knees to face him. When breathing became a must, she pulled back just far enough so that their lips continued to brush together. "I hope you're happy now."

"I am. But if you don't like it, next time you want to watch a movie don't go on a twenty minute gush-fest about Johnny Depp."

A slow smile spread across Chloe's lips. "Just to be clear, if I start to moon over Johnny Depp, you'll stop me by kissing me. Boy, I better think about this carefully." Smile still firmly in place, she closed the distance between them again.

"Don't worry." Lana leaned over to say to Clark. "Another few minutes and they'll be heading upstairs."

"Which reminds me," Leaning over the arm of the couch, Lois gave her cousin's hair a tug to gain her attention. "Hey, how are we doing these sleeping arrangements?"

"Don't care." When she would have continued kissing Davis, Lois placed her hand on her forehead and pushed until several inches separated the couple. "What?"

"Is Davis staying here tonight?" When her cousin gave her a 'well, duh' look, Lois rolled her eyes. "Of course. I'm taking the guest room then."

"Why?" Chloe started to turn to face Lois when she felt Davis' fingers slip under the hem of her blouse, he even managed to unhook the last few buttons. Fisting her hand in his hair, Chloe pulled his head back. "Play nice." So saying, she leaned in to bite his neck.

"But it makes you so hot when I play rough."

"That. That right there is why I'm sleeping as far away from your room as possible. Lana can stay in my room."

"You know it is possible for the two of us to share space and not have sex. We just chose not to." Chloe frowned, why in the hell would they want to. The man was perfect, it seemed wrong to be around him and not touch him. Unfortunately she couldn't get to her boyfriend before he opened his mouth.

"If it really makes you uncomfortable, Lois, I'll keep my hands, and other things, to myself this weekend."

Lois had to bite back a laugh at the absolutely gob smacked look on Chloe's face. One would think she was told she'd never be able to touch the boy again.

"I'm going to have to object."_ Have you lost your mind?_

_Lois is important to you. I want her to like me. I want her to know that there's more to what we are than sex. _He knew she was pissed when she got to her feet as if to move away from him, but his hands went to her hips to keep her in place. "Support me on this, baby, please."

"Okay." She had no choice when he was looking up at her with those adorable brown eyes. "But when you say keep your hands to yourself...."

"Maybe I over exaggerated."

"No," Clark jumped in quickly. "You said you weren't going to put your hands on her. So, you can't touch her for the rest of the weekend."

Davis turned to Clark. Admittedly he'd never paid much attention to the flannel clad farm boy. He was a constant at the mansion, usually just barging in to bitch to Lex about something. He knew Chloe considered him a very good friend, even knew she'd been in love with him for a very long time. So, okay, maybe he couldn't stand the guy. But he put that aside, for both Chloe and Lex. He wouldn't, however, stand for anyone telling him when and where and if he could touch his girl. "What the hell do you care?"

Clark watched as Davis' hands moved around Chloe's waist to rest on her butt. "You pawing at her like that upsets Lois and Lana."

"It doesn't upset me." Lois corrected as she studied the farm boy curiously. "And I say this as a friend; catch her on the right day and cloud formations upset Lana. Besides, I wouldn't try to keep him from her. Luthors tend to blow things up when they're told no."

"Well that was uncalled for. I've never blown anything up in my life." Davis began with a frown. "I think you hurt my feelings."

"Aw, my poor baby." Chloe moved his head until it rested against her breast. "If you want, I could kick Lois' ass."

Davis shifted his gaze to Clark. "Yeah, let her know she can't pick on your man."

Catching the smug look on Davis' face, Clark fought hard to keep quiet. The guy really was a jackass.

**********************************************************************************************************************

Clark ended up sleeping in Gabe's office. He hadn't been aware of how big the house was until tonight. He had offered to help Chloe and her dad move in, but she'd told him that Lex had taken care of everything. So he hadn't really gotten to see the place. Lois had called it a 'mcmansion' or something to that effect.

When he helped Lois move her things, the first thing that struck Clark was how close it was to the Luthor manor. And he had a feeling it wasn't entirely by accident. Davis seemed to know his way around the house pretty well. At least if the way he tossed Chloe over his shoulder and carried her up the stairs was any indication.

It wasn't that Clark was snooping around, he honestly couldn't sleep. Chloe and Lois kept the place too damn hot. They must have had the thermostat turned to a thousand if the heat was getting to him. All he wanted was a glass of water. So what if he stopped at Chloe's room door on his way to the kitchen. It's not like he looked inside. And-thankfully-he couldn't hear anything when he pressed his ear to the door. So, he kept going. How was he suppose to know they'd be outside?

Through the sliding glass doors off the kitchen he could see them sitting in one of the lounge chairs by the pool. Chloe sat between Davis legs, wrapped in a towel, her hair still wet. Being the middle of October, Clark understood that it was likely very cool outside but for his part Davis wore nothing but a pair of swim trunks and seemed completely oblivious to the chill in the air.

"Are you sure you're okay." Davis' voice drifted along the night breeze.

"I'm fine. You run hot so I barely feel the chill."

Davis adjusted the towel so that Chloe pressed against his bare chest, then draped the towel over her like a blanket. "That's not what I meant."

Chloe pressed her cheek to his chest. His skin held a hint of chlorine, but it couldn't mask that lovely dark scent that was pure Davis. The way she imagined the deepest part of the forest smelled just after a rainstorm, it soothed even as it aroused her. "I know what you meant. It was just easier when I thought she just left. When I could hate her for being selfish and self-centered, but now....I can't hate her now, Davis. I want to and sometimes I do. And then I feel terrible for feeling that way about her. It just seems like there's no one to be mad at in this and I want to be angry with someone. I think I need to be."

"Be mad at Lana, the way your thought process works sometimes, it doesn't seem like it would be that hard for you." As intended, she began to laugh softly. "Or Clark, I don't really know the guy, but it seems exceptionally easy to get pissed off at him. Lois seems like she can give as good as she gets." He pressed his lips to the top of her head. "Get mad at me. Scream at me, call me names. You can hate me if it makes you feel better."

Sliding one arm up to wrap around his neck, Chloe snuggled in closer to him. He was so solid, so soft; so strong, yet the hands that touched her were always gentle. And when his arms came around her, it all suddenly became too much, and there was no stopping the tears. Words began to spew forward in a jumbled mess so that she didn't know if she were speaking them or simply thinking them.

"I'm scared, Davis, I'm so scared..." _That I might end up like her. That if I were to go see her, she'll look at me... _"And she won't know me, she won't even really be seeing me. But I want to see..." _But I don't think I'm strong enough... _"And I wish I could go back, I wish I could just think she left again..." _But I can't... _"And I'm just so afraid..." _Of seeing her... _"Of not seeing her. And I just..." And she seemed to run out of words or steam or air, because the words stopped and she just continued to cry. And he held her. He didn't speak, but he didn't have to. Because it seemed like he opened himself up and let everything he felt for her to pour out of him and into her. And it was enough.

"Sometimes I wish I could just take you away from here. Take you away from everything that could ever hurt you." But Chloe wasn't the type to run away, to hide when things got bad. She faced them head on.

Yes, it was her nature to fight. To not allow herself to get pushed around. But even the strongest of people wanted someone willing to fight the battle for them. Someone to be strong when it felt like she couldn't be. "Where would you take me."

"Nebraska."

Chloe laughed. "Why Nebraska?"

"Because no one would think to look for us there. We'd stay until your dad called off the search party. Then it's off to Hawaii. We'd have a little place on the beach. You'd freelance at the local paper, while I surf all day and basically piss away my inheritance. And every night I'd make love to you under the stars."

"And you'll stay?" Because no one else did. Not her mother, not Pete. Even Clark and Lana had left her. "You wouldn't leave."

_I'd never leave you. _"Not for anything in the world."

Having heard enough, Clark backed away from the door. Heading back up to Gabe's office, he spent the rest of the night laying awake unable to think about anything but the scene he just witnessed.


End file.
